n up the stairs. Grail, as soon as she was gone, fell into a
reverie. It did not seem a pleasant one.

In a few minutes Mrs. Poole was heard returning; behind her came a
heavier foot. Ackroyd certainly looked far from well, but had assumed a
gay air, which he exaggerated.

'Come to see if I've hanged myself, old man? Not quite so bad as that
yet. I've had the toothache and the headache and Lord knows what. Now I
feel hungry; we'll have some supper together. Give me a jug, Maggie,
and I'll get some beer.'

'You sit down,' she replied. 'I'll run out and fetch it.'

'Why, what's the good of a jug like that!' he roared, watching her. 'A
gallon or so won't be a drop too much for me.'

He flung himself into a chair and stretched his legs.

'Been to the lecture?' he asked, as his sister left the room.

'Yes,' Gilbert replied, his wonted quietness contrasting with the
other's noise. 'Mr. Egremont's been asking me about you. He's
disappointed that you've left him.'

'Can't help it. I held out as long as I could. It isn't my line.
Besides, nothing's my line just now. So you had a talk with him, eh?'

'Yes, a talk I shan't forget. There are not many men like Mr. Egremont.'

Gilbert had it on his lips to speak of the library project, but a doubt
as to whether he might not be betraying confidence checked him.

'He wants you to go and see him at the lecture-room,' he continued,
'either on Sunday after the lecture, or any evening that suits you.
Will you go?'

Luke shook his head.

'No. What's the good?'

'I wish you would, Ackroyd,' said Gilbert, bending forward and speaking
with earnestness. 'You'd be glad of it afterwards. He said I was to ask
you to go and have a smoke with him by the fire; you needn't be afraid
of a sermon, you see. Besides, you know he isn't that kind of man.'

'No, I shan't go, old man,' returned the other, with resolution. 'I
liked his lectures well enough, as far as they went, but they're not
the kind of thing to suit me nowadays. If I go and talk to him, I'm
bound to go to the lectures. What's the good? What's the good of
anything?'

Gilbert became silent. The little girl on the stool, who had been
moving restlessly, suddenly said:

'Uncle, take me on your lap.'

'Why, of course I will, little un!' Luke replied with a sudden
affectionateness one would not have expected of him. 'Give me a kiss.
Who's that sitting there, eh?'

'Dono.'

'Nonsense! Say: Mr. Grail.'

In the midst of th