en; I'm
glad you think Nell is all right."

Was this all he meant to say? There was, however, an uncertainty about
his step, and by the time he had opened the door he came to a pause,
half closed it again, and said, "Oh, by the bye!"

"What is it?" said Mrs. Dennistoun.

He closed the door again and came back half a step. "I almost forgot, I
meant to tell you: if you have any money to invest, I could help you
to---- The best thing I've heard of for many a day!"

"You are very kind, Philip; but you know everything I have is in the
hands of trustees."

"Oh, bother trustees. The only thing they do is to keep your dividends
down to the lowest amount possible and cut short your income. Come,
you're quite old enough to judge for yourself. You might give them a
jog. At your time of life they ought to take a hint from you."

"I have never done it, Philip, and they would pay no attention to me."

"Oh, nonsense, mamma. Why, except you, who has a right to be consulted
except Nell? and if I, her husband, am your adviser----"

"I know they would do nothing but mock at me."

"Rubbish! I'd like to see who would mock at you. Just you send them to
me, that is all."

"Philip, will you not believe me when I say that it is impossible? I
have never interfered. They would ask what made me think of such a thing
now."

"And you could tell them a jolly good opportunity, as safe as the bank,
and paying six or seven per cent.--none of your fabulous risky ten or
twelve businesses, but a solid steady---- How could it be to my interest
to mislead you? It would be Nell who would be the loser. I should be
simply cutting off my own head."

"That is true, no doubt----"

"And," he said, scarcely waiting for her reply, "Nell is really the
person who should be consulted: for if there was loss eventually it
would come upon her--and so upon me. I mean taking into consideration
all the chances of the future: for it is perfectly safe for your time,
you may be quite sure of that."

No one, though he might be ninety, likes to have his time limited, and
his heir's prospects dwelt upon as the only things of any importance,
and Mrs. Dennistoun was a very long way from ninety. She would have
sacrificed everything she had to make her child happy, but she did not
like, all the same, to be set down as unimportant so far as her own
property was concerned.

"I am afraid," she said, with a slight quaver in her voice, "that my
trustees would not take El