my line. But, then, I am not a
man of independent fortune like my brother Amos here. Ask him, pray.
He has, or ought to have, lots of spare cash, and he is always on the
look-out to be doing good with it." There was a tone of sarcasm in his
voice which grated very painfully on Miss Huntingdon's ear. Amos
coloured deeply, but made no remark.

"What say you, my young friend?" asked Mr Johnson, in a kindly voice,
turning to him. "Your brother encourages me to hope that we may add
your name to the list."

The young man, thus appealed to, looked uneasy and embarrassed, and
then, in a few moments, said in an undertone, "I am sorry that just now
I am not in a position to add my name, but I shall be glad to do so when
I am better able."

Mr Johnson did not press the matter, but shortly left, having first
partaken of a little fruit which had been brought to him by the butler
while the conversation about the subscriptions had been going on.

It has already been said that the old man Harry was a privileged servant
of long standing, almost a portion of the estate, so that he was allowed
little liberties which would not ordinarily have been permitted to one
in his place. He had listened with burning cheeks and flashing eyes to
Walter's sneering remarks about his brother's wealth, and now lingered
near the group, as he was removing a little table on which he had placed
the fruit for Mr Johnson. There was a restlessness about his manner
which Miss Huntingdon noticed and wondered at; but her attention was
then drawn to Walter, who, lounging against a bench, said in a rather
drawling voice, "I really wonder what some people do with their money.
For my part, I don't see what's the use of it except to be jolly with it
yourself, and to make other people jolly with it.--Amos," he added
abruptly, "what's up with you that you've become so very poor all of a
sudden?"

To this Amos made no reply, but turned away to hide his vexation.

"My boy," said Mr Huntingdon, addressing his elder son, "I'm a little
surprised myself that you should be at all hard up. I quite expected
that you would have followed the example of Mr Johnson's sons, and have
put down your name. I think you could have afforded it."

Still Amos did not reply, but seemed hesitating what to say. But here
Walter broke in again. "I call it downright mean!" he exclaimed
bitterly; "but he's getting meaner and meaner, that he is. What he does
with his money nobody k