d, and that this good use of the money might make things more
secure, he gave a promise to build one--felt a twinge of compunction,
and a glow of generosity, but blushed hotly when Mr. Craik observed that
the old church, being put in decent repair, and chiefly used for
marriages and for the burial service, it might, perhaps be a pleasing
testimony, a filial act, to dedicate the new one to St. Elizabeth,
"Simply in reverend recollection, you know, Melcombe, of that having
been--been your grandmother's name."

"No, I shouldn't like it," said Valentine abruptly. Mr. Craik was not
sure whether his evident shrinking was due to some low-church scruple as
to any dedication at all, or whether the name of the sainted Elizabeth
had startled him by reminding him of self-renunciation and a self-denial
even to the death, of all that in this world we love and long for. This
Elizabeth, his grandmother, might have been a saintly old woman in her
conversation, her patience, her piety, for anything Valentine knew to
the contrary, but he had hold now of all her accounts; he knew from
them, and from investigations made among the tenants, that she had held
a hard grip of her possessions, had sometimes driven shrewd bargains,
and even up to her extreme old age had often shown herself rather more
than a match for some of those about her. Things to be done by others
she had seen to with vigilance, things to be done by herself she had
shown a masterly power of leaving undone. Her property had considerably
increased during her term of possession, though in ordinary charity a
good deal had been given away. All was in order, and her heir whom she
had never seen was reaping the fruits of her judgment and her savings;
but whether she ought to be called a saint he rather doubted.

He had returned to Melcombe, not without shrewd suspicions that his
cousin was soon to be his brother-in-law. A letter following closely on
his steps had confirmed them. Some time in September he expected a
summons to be present at the wedding; he wished after that to travel for
several months, so he allowed Mr. Craik to persuade him that his good
intentions ought not to be put off, and he made arrangements for the
commencement of the new church at once.

It was to cost about three thousand pounds, a large sum; but the payment
was to be spread over three or four years, and Valentine, at present,
had few other claims. He had, for instance, no poor relations, at least
he th