ne jot for all the money I ever
had. If you have lost it, I am sure it was accidentally. You would not
wilfully wrong me of a straw."

Again Major Harper groaned. Nathanael stood speechless with amazement.
At length he said, very gently:

"How did you find this out, Agatha?"

"Mr. Grimes told me."

"Was that all he told?"

"Yes."

Major Harper looked relieved. Nathanael watched him sternly. After a
while he said:

"Frederick, this is the right time to explain all. Do not start; you
need not fear _me_; in any case I shall hold to my promise. But if you
would explain--for my sake, for others' sake"--

The other shrank away. "No, not now," he whispered; "oh! brother, not
now. Give me a little time. Don't disgrace me before her--before them
all."

Nathanael's stature rose. Without again speaking, he shook his brother's
hand from off his shoulder with a gesture, slight yet full of meaning,
and turned towards Agatha. He seemed to yearn over her, though he
checked every expression of feeling except the softness of his voice.

"I am glad you have found out we are poor--that in some things my wife
may see I have not been so cruel to her as she thought."

Agatha's cheeks crimsoned with emotion. Why--why were they not alone
that she need not have smothered it down, and stood so quiet that he
believed she did not feel? He went on, rather more sadly:

"But this is not a time to talk of our own affairs; you shall know all
ere long. Will you be content until then?" And he held out his hand.

She took it, looking eagerly into his face. There was something there
so intrinsically noble and true! Though his conduct yet seemed
strange--unreasonable towards her, harsh towards his brother, still,
in defiance of all, there was that in his countenance which compelled
faith. And there was that in her own heart, a something neither reason
nor conviction, but transcending both, which leaped to him as through
intervening darkness light leaps to light. She felt that she must
believe in her husband.

He seemed partly to understand this, and smiled--a pale, faint smile,
that quickly vanished.

"Now, Agatha," he said, opening the door for her, "go and see how my
father is, and then you must go to bed. I will sit up with him to-night.
I cannot have my poor wife killing herself with watching."

His voice sunk tenderly; he even put out his hand, as if to stroke her
hair after his old habit, but drew it back--Major Harper was looking