“He is well in health, but looks aged and harassed,” was the answer of the father.  “He has had sad losses.  Half-finished houses have been thrown back on his hands through the death of those who had commenced them; he has been robbed of his stores of costly merchandise; and poor Frederick’s debts have mounted up to a great sum.  Now that people are flocking back into the city, and business is reviving once more, he will have to meet his creditors, and can only do this by the sale of his house.  I saw him yesterday, and told him I had heard of a purchaser already; whereat he was right glad, fearing that he might be long in selling, since men might fear to come back to the city, and whilst there were so many hundreds of houses left empty.  If he can once get rid of his load of debt, he can strive to begin business again in a modest way.  But, to be sure, it will be long before any houses will need to be built; the puzzle will be how to fill those that are left empty.  I fear me he will find things hard for a while.  But if he has a home with you, my children, and if we all give what help we can, I doubt not that little by little he may recover a part of what he has lost.  He will be wise not to try so many different callings.  If he had not had so many ventures afloat in these troubled times, he would not now have lost his all.”

“That was poor mother’s wish,” said Gertrude softly; “she wanted to be rich quickly for Frederick’s sake.  I used to hear father tell her that the risk was too great; but she did not seem able to understand aright.  I do not think it was father’s own wish.”

“That is what I always said,” answered James Harmer heartily; “and I trow things will be greatly better now, if once trade makes a start again.  As for us, we have lost a summer’s trade, but, beyond that, all has been well with us.  We have had the fewer outgoings, and so soon as the gentry and the Court come back again we shall be as busy as ever.  The plague has done us little harm, for we had no great ventures afloat to miscarry, and had money laid by against any time of necessity.”

That evening, before the party retired to rest, the father gathered his children and all the household about him, and offered a fervent thanksgiving for their preservation during this time of peril.  After that they all separated to their own rooms, and the girls sat long together ere they sought their couches, talking, as girls will talk, of all that had happened to them, and of the coming marriage of Gertrude and their brother, over which they heartily rejoiced.

“I must e’en let Lady Scrope know when it is to be,” said Dorcas, “if I can make shift to do so.  I trow she would like to be there.  She has taken a wondrous liking to thee, Gertrude, and she says she has a fine opinion of Reuben, too.  I know not quite what she has heard of him, but so it is.”

“I was fearful lest she should not be willing to spare thee, Dorcas,” said Gertrude with a caress, “but here thou art with the rest.”