liance on
his own abilities, he hoped, if fortunate, to make up for being defeated
in classics, by being considerably ahead in the other branches of the
examination. How he longed now to have at his command the time he had
so largely wasted! Had he but used that aright he might have easily
disputed the palm in any competition with Power himself. Few boys had
been gifted with stronger intellects or clearer heads than he. But
though _fresh_ time may be carefully and wisely used, the _past_ time
that has once been wasted can never be recovered or redeemed.

And as he worked hard day by day the time quickly flew by, the
scholarship examination took place, and the Christmas holidays came on.
The result of the competition could not be known until the boys returned
to school.

Mrs Kenrick thought that this Christmas was the happiest she had known.
They spent it, of course, very quietly. There were for them none of
those happy family gatherings and innocent gaieties that made the time
so bright for others, yet still there was something peaceful and
something brighter than usual about them. Harry's manner, she thought,
was more affectionate, more tenderly respectful, than it often was.
There seemed to be something softer and more lovable about his ways. He
bore himself with less haughty indifference towards the Fuzbeians; he
entered with more zest into such simple amusements as he could invent or
procure; he condescended to play quite simply with the curate's little
boys, and seemed to be more humble and more contented. She counted the
days he spent with her as a miser counts his gold; and he, when he left
her, seemed more sorry to leave, and tried to cheer her spirits, and did
not make so light, as his wont had been, of the grief which the
separation caused.

The first event of importance on the return of the boys to school, was
the announcement of the scholarship. The list was read from the last
name upwards; Henderson stood sixth, Kenrick third, Evson second, _Power
first_. "But," said Dr Lane, "Power has communicated to me privately
that he does not wish to receive the emoluments of the scholarship, he
will therefore be _honorary_ scholar, while the scholarship itself will
be held by Evson."

Disappointed at the result, as he undoubtedly was, yet Kenrick would
have been glad at that moment to be able to congratulate Walter. He
took it very quietly and well. Sorrow and failure had come on him so
often lately,