n; but it was a bitter pill;
above all, that it should be made for her sake. She rushed away, as
usual, to fly up and down her room.

She might have spared herself that agony. Owen's resolution failed him.
He could not bring himself to make the beginning, nor to couple the
avowal of his offence with such presumption as an entreaty for his
child's adoption, though he knew his sister's impulsive obstinacy well
enough to be convinced that she would adhere pertinaciously to this
condition. Faltering after the first line, he recurred to his former
plan of postponing his letter till his plans should be so far matured
that he could show that he would no longer be a pensioner on the bounty
of his benefactress, and that he sought pardon for the sake of no
material advantage. He knew that Robert had intimated his intention of
writing after the funeral, and by this he would abide.

Late in the evening Robert brought the engineer's answer, that he had no
objection to take out a pupil, and would provide board, lodging, and
travelling expenses; but he required a considerable premium, and for
three years would offer no salary. His standard of acquirements was
high, but such as rather stimulated than discouraged Owen, who was
delighted to find that an appointment had been made for a personal
interview on the ensuing Monday.

[Picture: He drew the paper before him. Lucilla started to her feet]

It was evident that if these terms were accepted, the debts, if paid at
all, must come out of Lucilla's fortune. Owen's own portion would barely
clothe him and afford the merest pittance for his child until he should
be able to earn something after his three years' apprenticeship. She
trusted that he was convinced, and went up-stairs some degrees less
forlorn for having a decided plan; but a farther discovery awaited her,
and one that concerned herself.

On her bed lay the mourning for which she had sent, tasteful and
expensive, in her usual complete style, and near it an envelope. It
flashed on her that her order had been dangerously unlimited, and she
opened the cover in trepidation, but what was her dismay at the double,
treble, quadruple foolscap? The present articles were but a fraction to
the dreadful aggregate--the sum total numbered hundreds! In a dim hope
of error she looked back at the items, 'Black lace dress: Dec. 2nd,
1852.'--She understood all. It dated from the death of her aunt.
Previously, her wardrobe had been