ne. "I don't think there
will be any danger," he said. "Captain Clayton went this morning, and
the people don't know yet whether he has gone. I think it is better
that you should get accustomed to it, and not give way to idle
fears." The boy apparently agreed to this, and got his hat. But he
did not leave the shelter of the house without sundry misgivings. Mr.
Jones had determined to act at once upon the Captain's advice, and
had bethought himself that he could best do so by telling the whole
truth to the boy. "Now, Florian, I think it would be as well that you
and I should understand each other." Florian looked up at him with
fearful eyes, but made no reply. "Of course I was angry with you
while you were hesitating about those ruffians."

"Yes; you were," said Florian.

"I can quite understand that you have felt a difficulty."

"Yes, I did," said Florian.

"But that is all over now."

"If they don't fire at me it is over, I suppose, till August."

"They shan't fire at you. Don't be afraid. If they fire at you, they
must fire at me too." The father was walking with his arm about the
boy's neck. "You, at any rate, shall incur no danger which I do not
share. You will understand--won't you--that my anger against you is
passed and gone?"

"I don't know," said the boy.

"It is so,--altogether. I hope to be able to send you to school in
England very soon after the trial is over. You shall go to Mr. Monro
at first, and to Winchester afterwards, if I can manage it. But we
won't think of Winchester just at present. We must do the best we can
to get a good place for you on your first going into the school."

"I am not afraid about that," said Florian, thinking that at the time
when the school should have come all the evils of the trials would
have been passed away and gone.

"All the same you might come and read with me every morning for an
hour, and then for an hour with each of your sisters. You will want
something to do to make up your time. And remember, Florian, that
all my anger has passed away. We will be the best of friends, as in
former days, so that when the time shall have come for you to go into
court, you may be quite sure that you have a friend with you there."

To all this Florian made very little reply; but Mr. Jones remembered
that he could not expect to do much at a first attempt. Weary as the
task would be he would persevere. For the task would be weary even
with his own son. He was a man who coul