upation.

"He has too much of the gay gallant about him for my taste,"
Abraham would say. "He is more Trevlyn than Holt; and some folks
say more Wyvern than Trevlyn. Be that as it may, he is a gentleman
to the fingertips; and one might as well try to tame an eagle as
set him down to the round of work that comes natural to lads like
Jacob."

And Martin Holt would nod assent, feeling that there was something
about his sister's son that would never assimilate with the life of
a merchant tradesman. He liked his nephew, and thought well of him
in many ways; but he was not sorry to receive his request for leave
to revisit his old haunts and his own kindred when the long spring
days were upon the world; and he bid the lad please himself for the
future, and return or not as he best liked. There was the gold to
be given up to him when he should make formal claim for it. Martin
had satisfied himself by now that he was worthy to be intrusted
with it; but Cuthbert intended Petronella to have the bulk of that,
so that she might wed Philip, if they were both inclined that way.
As for himself, he was still bent on finding the lost treasure of
Trevlyn, and he had vowed the whole of the long summer to the
search, resolved that he would find it, be the perils and
perplexities what they might.

So that although he saw by his uncle's manner that he was not
especially anxious to see him back soon, and shrewdly guessed that
this was in part on Cherry's account, he did not let the matter
distress him. When good Jacob had had his turn, and had failed in
winning Cherry's hand, and when he himself should return laden with
the treasure which should enable him to place his little love in a
nest in all ways worthy of her, surely then his uncle would give
her up to him without opposition. This was how he spoke to Cherry,
comforting her as the hour for his departure drew near, and vowing
eternal constancy and unchanging love. He was beginning to feel
that he was doing his cause more harm than good by lingering on,
unable to declare himself, yet betraying himself, as he often felt,
in a hundred little nameless ways. It would be better for all when
the wrench was finally made; and neither he nor Cherry doubted for
a moment that he would be successful in his search, and would come
riding up at last to the house on the bridge, the gayest of gay
gallants, to claim Cherry in the sight of all, lifting her upon his
horse, and riding away with her in the