now," she replied: which was notoriously false, "and I
will give you a good-night, James, and a welcome--from the dead," said
she, and her voice dropped and trembled.

Poor Mr. Henry, who had made rather a heavy figure through the meal, was
more concerned than ever; pleased to see his wife withdraw, and yet half
displeased, as he thought upon the cause of it; and the next moment
altogether dashed by the fervour of her speech.

On my part, I thought I was now one too many; and was stealing after
Mrs. Henry, when the Master saw me.

"Now, Mr. Mackellar," says he, "I take this near on an unfriendliness. I
cannot have you go: this is to make a stranger of the prodigal son; and
let me remind you where--in his own father's house! Come, sit ye down,
and drink another glass with Mr. Bally."

"Ay, ay, Mr. Mackellar," says my lord, "we must not make a stranger
either of him or you. I have been telling my son," he added, his voice
brightening as usual on the word, "how much we valued all your friendly
service."

So I sat there, silent, till my usual hour; and might have been almost
deceived in the man's nature but for one passage, in which his perfidy
appeared too plain. Here was the passage; of which, after what he knows
of the brothers' meeting, the reader shall consider for himself. Mr.
Henry sitting somewhat dully, in spite of his best endeavours to carry
things before my lord, up jumps the Master, passes about the board, and
claps his brother on the shoulder.

"Come, come, _Hairry lad_," says he, with a broad accent, such as they
must have used together when they were boys, "you must not be downcast
because your brother has come home. All's yours, that's sure enough, and
little I grudge it you. Neither must you grudge me my place beside my
father's fire."

"And that is too true, Henry," says my old lord, with a little frown, a
thing rare with him. "You have been the elder brother of the parable in
the good sense; you must be careful of the other."

"I am easily put in the wrong," said Mr. Henry.

"Who puts you in the wrong?" cried my lord, I thought very tartly for so
mild a man. "You have earned my gratitude and your brother's many
thousand times: you may count on its endurance; and let that suffice."

"Ay, Harry, that you may," said the Master; and I thought Mr. Henry
looked at him with a kind of wildness in his eye.

* * * * *

On all the miserable business that now followed, I