th you."

"But what prospect have I of such ability to pay? what resources can I
reckon upon?"

"You will be angry if I repeat myself," said Jekyl, with deep humility.

"I am already angry with myself that I should have listened to your
proposal so indulgently; my troubles must, indeed, have affected me
deeply when I so far forgot myself."

Jekyl dropped his head forward on his breast, and looked a picture of
sorrow; after a while he said,

"Sir Stafford Onslow would, I well know, but be honored by your asking
him the slight favor; but I could not counsel you to do so. Your
feelings would have to pay too severe a sacrifice, and hence I advise
making it a mere business matter; depositing some ornament a necklace
you were tired of, a bracelet, anything in fact, a nothing and thus
there is neither a difficulty nor a disclosure."

"I have scarcely anything," said Kate; "and what I have, have been all
presents from Lady Hester."

"Morlache would be quite content with your word," said Jekyl, blandly.

"And if I should be unable to acquit the debt, will these few things I
possess be sufficient to do it?"

"I should say double the amount, as a mere guess."

"Can I dare I take your counsel?" cried she, in an accent of intense
anxiety.

"Can you reject it, when refusal will be so bitter?"

Kate gave a slight shudder, as though that pang was greater than all the
rest.

"There is fortunately no difficulty in the matter whatever," said Jekyl,
speaking rapidly. "You will, of course, have many things to purchase
before you leave this. Well; take the carriage and your maid, and drive
to the Ponte Vecchio. The last shop on the right-hand side of the bridge
is 'Morlache's.' It is unpromising enough outside, but there is wealth
within to subsidize a kingdom. I will be in waiting to receive you,
and in a few minutes the whole will be concluded; and if you have your
letter ready, you can enclose the sum, and post it at once."

If there were many things in this arrangement which shocked Kate, and
revolted against her sense of delicacy and propriety, there was one
counterpoise more than enough to outweigh them all: she should be
enabled to serve her father, she, who alone of all his children had
never contributed, save by affection, to his comfort, should now
materially assist him. She knew too well the sufferings and anxieties
his straitened fortune cost him, she witnessed but too often the
half-desperation in which he woul