ing to him
the cheque he had now finished writing, "will you, my dear sir, accept
that for yourself? Your stipend is far too small; and I know Mrs.
Durnford's illness in the spring must have been very expensive. Don't
say no, I beg of you; but take it----as a favour to me."

He had risen from his seat, and the next moment, with a hurried "good
morning," he was gone, leaving the astonished minister in possession of
a cheque for one hundred pounds!

CHAPTER XX.

"COBBLER" HORN'S VILLAGE.

It was the custom of "Cobbler" Horn to spend the first hour of every
morning, after breakfast, in the office, with his secretary. They would go
through the letters which required attention; and, after he had given Miss
Owen specific directions with regard to some of them, he would leave her
to use her own discretion with reference to the rest. Amongst the former,
there were frequently a few which he reserved for the judgment of Mr.
Durnford. It was the duty of the young secretary to scan the letters which
came by the later posts; but none of them were to be submitted to
"Cobbler" Horn until the next morning, unless they were of urgent
importance.

One morning, about a week after the removal to the new house, the office
door suddenly opened, and "Cobbler" Horn emerged into the hall in a state
of great excitement, holding an open letter in his hand.

"Jemima!" he shouted.

The only response was a sound of angry voices from the region of the
kitchen, amidst which he recognised his sister's familiar tones. Surely
Jemima was not having trouble with the servants! Approaching the kitchen
door, he pushed it slightly open, and peeped into the room. Miss Jemima
was emphatically laying down the law to the young and comely cook, who
stood back against the table, facing her mistress, with the rolling-pin in
her hand, and rebellion in every curve of her figure and in every feature
of her face.

"You are a saucy minx," Miss Jemima was saying, in her sharpest tones.

"'Minx' yourself," was the pert reply. "No mistress shan't interfere with
me and my work, as you've done this last week. If you was a real lady, you
wouldn't do it."

"You rude girl, I'll teach you to keep your place."

"Keep your own," rapped out the girl; "and it 'ull be the better for all
parties. As for me, I shan't keep this place, and I give you warning from
now, so there!"

At this moment, the girl caught sight o