To return. If you don't
take to politics in the end, I think you should let them put you in
now, if only as a stop-gap, or we shall get some one whom it may not
be easy to get rid of."

"There's something in that, but I can't accept without knowing my
position, and I would not utter a word to disturb my mother till it
occurs to her of herself."

"Now that Frank is better?"

"No. It will all come on her soon enough."

"Would you stand if she made it right for you?"

"I can't tell. There would be no punishment so great to my poor
Anne as to be dragged into society, and I don't know how she would
bear it, even if she had no scruples. We never thought of anything
but settling in Glen Fraser, only I wanted her to know you all. If
that poor Cecil only had a child we could be free to go back. Poor
Anne!"

"Do you think she is still as homesick as at first?"

"Well, not quite, perhaps; but I never can get to talk to her, and I
know it is a terrible sacrifice to her to live here at all, and I
won't have her forced into a style of thing against her conscience.
If they come to me, I shall tell them to take Mr. Bowater."

"Poor Mr. Bowater! He will have little heart."

"Who else is there? That fellow Moy would like it, I suppose."

"That fellow Moy may have to change his note," said Julius. "I
think we have the means of clearing Archie, when we can see how to
use them."

Miles gave a sort of leap as he stood by the fire. "Tell me.
Archie! I had no heart to write to him, poor fellow."

"Write to him by all means, but say nothing here." And Julius
briefly repeated what Gadley had said.

"I don't see that the scoundrel Moy deserves any consideration."

"I don't know whether he does; but he has a good wife, ailing and
sickly, and a daughter. He has lived in good report these many
years, and I think it is due to him and to old Proudfoot not to
spread the report before giving him warning. In fact, I am not sure
whether we could proceed against him as things stand."

"It is just what Raymond would have known," said Miles, with a sigh;
"but you are right, Julius, one ought to give him fair play. Ah!
what's that, Jenkins?--Note from Lord Belfort? Wait for an answer.
Can't they give one any peace?"

While Miles was reluctantly answering his note, Julius, resolving to
act before he was forbidden, mounted to Frank's room, requested to
speak with his mother, and propelled her into the outer room,
leaving An