her. O master, master! if you loved Miss Julia as was as I love
her, and as Master Amos loves her, though she has married a vagabond of
a husband, and had the door of her home closed agen her for ever for it,
and oh, if you'd but a touch still of the dear Saviour's forgiving love
towards your own flesh and blood, you couldn't blame Master Amos for
doing as he's doing, if you only knew too how he's been a-sacrificing of
himself, and bearing the shame and scorn all the while without a murmur.
There, master, I've had it out. And now I suppose I must pack up and
be off for good; but it don't matter. I couldn't keep it in, so there's
an end of it."

The effect of this speech on all the members of the party was
overwhelming, though in different ways.

Mr Huntingdon's face turned deadly pale, and then flushed fiery red.
He half rose from the bench on which he was sitting, and then sank back
again and buried his face in his hands. Then he started up, and
muttering something hoarsely, rushed into the house, and was not seen
again by the family that night. Next morning, before breakfast, his
sister received a hasty note from him, merely stating that he was
leaving home, and should not return that day, and perhaps not for a few
days.

The old butler's disclosure was also most trying to Miss Huntingdon by
its suddenness. Not that she was unprepared for it altogether, for
quiet observation of Amos had made her sure that he had some noble and
self-denying work in hand, and that probably it might have something to
do with the welfare of his sister, whom she knew that he dearly loved.
She was grieved, however, that the old butler had blurted out the secret
in such an abrupt manner, and at the terrible distress which the
unexpected revelation had caused her brother.

As for Amos, he was ready to sink into the earth with dismay and
vexation. All he could do was to look up reproachfully at Harry, who,
now that the explosion had burst forth, and had driven his master
apparently almost out of his senses, looked round him with an utterly
crestfallen air, and then, coming up to Amos, said, while the big tears
rolled rapidly down his cheeks, "Oh, dear Master Amos, you must forgive
me. I didn't go for to do it with no bad meaning; but I couldn't bear
it no longer. I daresay the master 'll turn me off for it, so I shall
be punished if I've done wrong."

And how felt Walter? He was utterly crushed for a time beneath the old
man's