doubt of it."

"Thank you, Harry, a thousand times," said the other; "and I am sure you
shall see the wisdom of keeping quiet on the subject for the sake of the
family."

"You're safe there with me, Master Amos," was the old man's reply.

So, when Amos and Harry returned to Flixworth Manor, the young man
explained to his father that the little child at the cottage, in whom he
was interested, had been enticed away by a stranger, and that he had
been unable to recover him till that morning, and had, in his search for
the child, been obliged to spend the previous night at the market-town.
Mr Huntingdon, who was just then very fully occupied in planning and
carrying out some improvements on his estate, was satisfied with this
explanation. So the subject was not further discussed in the family.
On the morning after his return, Amos duly conveyed the cheque, through
Harry, to his brother-in-law.

CHAPTER EIGHT.

BEARING THE CROSS.

Walter's good intentions and resolutions respecting his treatment of his
brother, though sincere when he uttered them in the presence of his
aunt, were by no means strong enough to make him curb his wit or his
displeasure when Amos did anything to annoy or thwart him. And not only
so; but there abode in his mind a feeling of mingled jealousy and
annoyance when he was constrained to admit to himself his brother's
superiority. If Amos had some self-imposed duty to perform, why should
he thrust this duty into other people's faces? Duty was a very fine
thing in its way, no doubt, but grave Mr Duty was a very sour-tempered,
troublesome old fellow when he trode on his neighbour's toes. And why
should Amos make himself disagreeable by adopting a course of duty which
unfitted him for cordially co-operating with his younger brother in his
schemes? There was a sort of monasticism in this conduct in Walter's
eyes. Here was his brother living amongst them, and yet, having taken
the vows of some self-imposed duty upon him, he was looking down upon
them all as though from some higher standing-ground. What a pity that
he did not retire into a monastery, where he could act out his vows and
his duty without troubling the noses of ordinary mortals like his
relations with this oppressive "odour of sanctity." So thought Walter;
and he made no concealment of his feelings from Amos, whom he now began
to call "the Monk," or "Father Gengulphus."

Amos took it all very quietly, fully understanding that