he was right
glad, fearing that he might be long in selling, since men might
fear to come back to the city, and whilst there were so many
hundreds of houses left empty. If he can once get rid of his load
of debt, he can strive to begin business again in a modest way.
But, to be sure, it will be long before any houses will need to be
built; the puzzle will be how to fill those that are left empty. I
fear me he will find things hard for a while. But if he has a home
with you, my children, and if we all give what help we can, I doubt
not that little by little he may recover a part of what he has
lost. He will be wise not to try so many different callings. If he
had not had so many ventures afloat in these troubled times, he
would not now have lost his all."

"That was poor mother's wish," said Gertrude softly; "she wanted to
be rich quickly for Frederick's sake. I used to hear father tell
her that the risk was too great; but she did not seem able to
understand aright. I do not think it was father's own wish."

"That is what I always said," answered James Harmer heartily; "and
I trow things will be greatly better now, if once trade makes a
start again. As for us, we have lost a summer's trade, but, beyond
that, all has been well with us. We have had the fewer outgoings,
and so soon as the gentry and the Court come back again we shall be
as busy as ever. The plague has done us little harm, for we had no
great ventures afloat to miscarry, and had money laid by against
any time of necessity."

That evening, before the party retired to rest, the father gathered
his children and all the household about him, and offered a fervent
thanksgiving for their preservation during this time of peril.
After that they all separated to their own rooms, and the girls sat
long together ere they sought their couches, talking, as girls will
talk, of all that had happened to them, and of the coming marriage
of Gertrude and their brother, over which they heartily rejoiced.

"I must e'en let Lady Scrope know when it is to be," said Dorcas,
"if I can make shift to do so. I trow she would like to be there.
She has taken a wondrous liking to thee, Gertrude, and she says she
has a fine opinion of Reuben, too. I know not quite what she has
heard of him, but so it is."

"I was fearful lest she should not be willing to spare thee,
Dorcas," said Gertrude with a caress, "but here thou art with the
rest."

"Yes, she was wondrous good to us," said Ja