mmon sense fought with the
old hereditary pride of blood and birth, which would keep one in the
rank to which it had pleased God to call him, even if he starved there.
The latter gained the victory, and Hugh replied:

I would rather Archie should not go to America if there is any other
way. Betsey is very peculiar in her ideas, and would as soon apprentice
him to a shoemaker as anything else. In the last letter I received from
her, she advised me to put him to some trade, and to break stone myself
on the highway, rather than do nothing. No, Archie must not go to
America, he may marry well, if you and Lady Jane look after him; and you
will, John. You will have a care for my boy when I am gone, and, oh,
never, never let him go near the gaming-table. That has been my ruin.
Keep him from that, whatever you do."

"Why not require a promise from him to that effect? He is a truthful
boy; he will keep his word," John said, and Hugh replied:

"Yes, yes, that's it; strange I never thought of it before. I will send
for him at once. Call Anthony to fetch him; and, oh, John, I owe Anthony
fifty pounds; money borrowed at different times from his hard earnings.
You will see that he is paid?"

"Yes," John answered, promptly; for Anthony, who had been at Stoneleigh
since he was a boy, and had been so much to him, was his favorite, and
should not suffer.

He would pay Anthony; but when his brother mentioned other debts owing
to the trades-people in Bangor, and Beaumaris, and even Carnarvon, he
objected, on the ground that he was not able, but said he would lay the
matter before his sister Betsey, who was far richer than himself.

It was at this point that Archie appeared in the door, and after
greeting his Uncle John and the Lady Jane with the grace and courtesy so
natural to him, he went to his father's bedside, where he stopped
suddenly, struck with an expression on the pinched, white face, which
earlier in the morning had not been there.

"Father," he cried, while a great fear took possession of him, "what is
it? Are you worse?"

"Yes, my son, weaker--that is all--and going from you very fast--before
the day is over, perhaps--and I want to talk to you, Archie, and to tell
you I have nothing to leave you but Stoneleigh, and that is mortgaged;
nothing but the small annuity on your life from your mother's little
fortune, which came too late to do her any good. Oh, Dora! who bore with
me so patiently, and loved me through all--sh