urs earlier than was necessary that
they might avoid Miss Crampton, a functionary whom Johnny held in great
abhorrence.

At the same period Grand suddenly rallied, and, becoming as well as
ever, his son, who had made many journeys backwards and forwards to see
him, brought him home, buying at the railway station, as he stepped
into his father's carriage, the _Times_ and the _Wigfield Advertiser_,
and _True Blue_, in each of which he saw a piece of news that concerned
himself, though it was told with a difference.

In the _Times_ was the marriage of Giles Brandon, Esq., &c., to
Dorothea, elder daughter of Edward Graham, Esq.; and in the local paper,
with an introduction in the true fustian style of mock concealment, came
the same announcement, followed by a sufficiently droll and malicious
account of the terrible inconvenience another member of this family had
suffered a short time since by being snowed up, in which state he still
continued, as snow in that part of the world had forgotten how to melt.

A good deal that was likely to mortify Valentine followed this, but it
was no more than he deserved.

John laughed. "Well, Giles is a dear fellow," he said, throwing down the
paper. "I am pleased at his marriage, and they must submit to be laughed
at like other people."

CHAPTER XVI.

WEARING THE WILLOW.

"My Lord Sebastian,
The truth you speak doth lack some gentleness
And time to speak it in; you rub the sore
When you should bring the plaster."

_The Tempest._

When John Mortimer reached the banking-house next morning, he found
Valentine waiting for him in his private sitting-room.

"I thought my uncle would hardly be coming so early, John," he said,
"and that perhaps you would spare me a few minutes to talk things over."

"To be sure," said John, and looking more directly at Valentine, he
noticed an air of depression and gloom which seemed rather too deep to
be laid to the account of the _True Blue_.

He was stooping as he sat, and slightly swinging his hat by the brim
between his knees. He had reddened at first, with a sullen and
half-defiant expression, but this soon faded, and, biting his lips, he
brought himself with evident effort to say--

"Well, John, I've done for myself, you see; Giles has married her.
Serves me right, quite right. I've nothing to say against it."

"No, I devoutly hope you have not," exclaimed John, to whom the unlucky
situation became evident i