That the confession was made, and that Archie should be cleared, was enough for Julius to carry to Herbert’s room, while Miles repaired to his mother.  It was known in the sick-room where the brothers had been, and Julius was watched as he crossed the street by Jenny’s eager eye, and she met him at the door of the outer room with a face of welcome.

“Come in and tell us all,” she said.  “I see it is good news.”  Herbert was quite well enough to bear good news in full detail as he lay, not saying much, but smiling his welcome, and listening with ears almost as eager as his sister’s.  And as Julius told of the crushed and broken man, Jenny’s tears rose to her eyes, and she pressed her brother’s hand and whispered, “Thanks, dear boy!”

“Small thanks to me.”

“Yes, I can enjoy it now,” said Jenny; “thanks to you for forcing the bitterness out of me.”

“Can you bear a little more good news, Herbert?” said Julius.  “Who do you think is to have St. Nicholas?”

“Not William Easterby?  That’s too good to be true.”

“But so it is.  All the Senior Fellows dropped it like a red-hot coal.”

“I thought Dwight wanted to marry?”

“Yes, but the lady’s friends won’t hear of his taking her there; so it has come down to young Easterby.  He can’t be inducted of course yet; but he has written to say he will come down on Saturday and take matters in hand.”

“The services on Sunday?  Oh!” said Herbert, with as great a gasp of relief as if he had been responsible for them; and, indeed, Rosamond declared that both her husband and Mr. Bindon looked like new men since Wil’sbro’ was off their backs.  Archie was coming back that evening.  Jenny much longed to show her two treasures to each other, for it was a useless risk for the healthy man, and the sick one was too weak and tired to wish for a new face, or the trouble of speaking; nay, he could not easily bring himself to cheerful acquiescence in even his favourite Lady Rose taking his sister’s place to set her free for an evening with Archie at the Hall.

Mrs. Poynsett was in the drawing-room.  She had taken courage to encounter the down-stair associations, saying she would make it no sadder for the dear boy than she could help, and so Miles had carried her down to meet one who had been always as one of her own sons.

And thus it was that she gathered him into her embrace, while the great strong man, only then fully realizing all the changes, sobbed uncontrollably beside her.

“My boy, my poor Archie,” she said, “you are come at last.  Did you not know you still had a mother to trust to?”

“I ought to have known it,” said Archie, in a choked voice.  “Oh that I had seen Jenny in London!”