n. Such insolence is, however, incredible."

"That's a man's way of regarding it; and however you sneer at our
credulity, it enables us to see scores of things that your obstinacy is
blind to. I am sincerely glad he is going away."

"So am I--now; and I trust, in my heart, we have seen the last of him."

"How tired you look, my poor Tony!" said his mother, as he entered the
cottage and threw himself heavily and wearily into a chair.

"I _am_ tired, mother,--very tired and jaded."

"I wondered what kept you so long, Tony; for I had time to pack your
trunk, and to put away all your things; and when it was done and
finished, to sit down and sorrow over your going away. Oh, Tony dear,
are n't we ungrateful creatures, when we rise up in rebellion against
the very mercies that are vouchsafed us, and say, Why was my prayer
granted me? I am sure it was many and many a night, as I knelt down,
I begged the Lord would send you some calling or other, that you might
find means of an honest living; and a line of life that would n't
disgrace the stock you came from; and now that He has graciously heard
me, here I am repining and complaining just as if it was n't my own
supplication that was listened to."

Perhaps Tony was not in a humor to discuss a nice question of ethical
meaning, for he abruptly said, "Sir Arthur Lyle read your note over, and
said he'd call one of these days and see you. I suppose he meant with
the answer."

"There was no answer, Tony; the matter was just this,--I wanted a trifle
of an advance from the bank, just to give you a little money when you
have to go away; and Tom M'Elwain, the new manager, not knowing me
perhaps, referred the matter to Sir Arthur, which was not what I wished
or intended, and so I wrote and said so. Perhaps I said so a little too
curtly, as if I was too proud, or the like, to accept a favor at Sir
Arthur's hands; for he wrote me a very beautiful letter--it went home
to my heart--about his knowing your father long ago, when they were both
lads, and had the wide world before them; and alluding very touchingly
to the Lord's bounties to himself,--blessing him with a full garner."

"I hope you accepted nothing from him," broke in Tony, roughly.

"No, Tony; for it happened that James Hewson, the apothecary, had a
hundred pounds that he wanted to lay out on a safe mortgage, and so
I took it, at six per cent, and gave him over the deeds of the little
place here."

"For a hundred pounds!