ft off learning to farm,--for
that's no use here,--I've got nothing on earth to do."

"Have you thought of anything yet?"

"Yes."

"Well, out with it."

"John," remarked Valentine, as the shadow of a smile flitted across
John's face, "you always seem to me to know what a fellow is thinking
of! Perhaps you would not like such a thing,--wouldn't have it?"

John observed that he was getting a little less gloomy as he proceeded.

"But whether or not, that two thousand pounds will help me to some
career, certainly, and entirely save me from what I could not bear to
think of, _her_ knowing that I was dependent on Giles, and despising me
for it."

"Pooh," exclaimed John, a little chafed at his talking in this way,
"what is St. George's wife likely to know, or to care, as to how her
brother-in-law derives his income? But I quite agree with you that you
have no business to be dependent on Giles; he has done a great deal for
his sisters he should now have his income for himself."

"Yes," said Valentine.

"You have always been a wonderfully united family," observed John
pointedly; "there is every reason why that state of things should
continue."

"Yes," repeated Valentine, receiving the covert lecture resignedly.

"And there is no earthly end, good or bad, to be served," continued
John, "by the showing of irritation or gloom on your part, because your
brother has chosen to take for himself what you had previously and with
all deliberation thrown away."

"I suppose not, John," said Valentine quite humbly.

"Then what can you be thinking of?"

"I don't know."

"You have not talked to any one as you have done to me this morning?"

"No, certainly not."

"Well, then, decide while the game is in your own hand that you never
will."

So far from being irritated or sulky at the wigging that John was
bestowing on him, Valentine was decidedly the better for it. The colour
returned to his face, he sat upright in his chair, and then he got up
and stood on the rug, as if John's energy had roused him, and opened his
eyes also, to his true position.

"You don't want to cover yourself with ridicule, do you?" continued
John, seeing his advantage.

"Why, even if you cared to take neither reason, nor duty, nor honour
into the question, surely the only way to save your own dignity from
utter extinction is to be, or at least seem to be, quite indifferent as
to what the lady may have chosen to do, but very glad that your broth