“I asked Mr. Farebrother to talk to her, because she had forbidden me—­ I didn’t know what else to do,” said Fred, apologetically.  “And he says that I have every reason to hope, if I can put myself in an honorable position—­I mean, out of the Church I dare say you think it unwarrantable in me, Mr. Garth, to be troubling you and obtruding my own wishes about Mary, before I have done anything at all for myself.  Of course I have not the least claim—­indeed, I have already a debt to you which will never be discharged, even when I have been, able to pay it in the shape of money.”

“Yes, my boy, you have a claim,” said Caleb, with much feeling in his voice.  “The young ones have always a claim on the old to help them forward.  I was young myself once and had to do without much help; but help would have been welcome to me, if it had been only for the fellow-feeling’s sake.  But I must consider.  Come to me to-morrow at the office, at nine o’clock.  At the office, mind.”

Mr. Garth would take no important step without consulting Susan, but it must be confessed that before he reached home he had taken his resolution.  With regard to a large number of matters about which other men are decided or obstinate, he was the most easily manageable man in the world.  He never knew what meat he would choose, and if Susan had said that they ought to live in a four-roomed cottage, in order to save, he would have said, “Let us go,” without inquiring into details.  But where Caleb’s feeling and judgment strongly pronounced, he was a ruler; and in spite of his mildness and timidity in reproving, every one about him knew that on the exceptional occasions when he chose, he was absolute.  He never, indeed, chose to be absolute except on some one else’s behalf.  On ninety-nine points Mrs. Garth decided, but on the hundredth she was often aware that she would have to perform the singularly difficult task of carrying out her own principle, and to make herself subordinate.

“It is come round as I thought, Susan,” said Caleb, when they were seated alone in the evening.  He had already narrated the adventure which had brought about Fred’s sharing in his work, but had kept back the further result.  “The children are fond of each other—­ I mean, Fred and Mary.”

Mrs. Garth laid her work on her knee, and fixed her penetrating eyes anxiously on her husband.

“After we’d done our work, Fred poured it all out to me.  He can’t bear to be a clergyman, and Mary says she won’t have him if he is one; and the lad would like to be under me and give his mind to business.  And I’ve determined to take him and make a man of him.”

“Caleb!” said Mrs. Garth, in a deep contralto, expressive of resigned astonishment.

“It’s a fine thing to do,” said Mr. Garth, settling himself firmly against the back of his chair, and grasping the elbows.  “I shall have trouble with him, but I think I shall carry it through.  The lad loves Mary, and a true love for a good woman is a great thing, Susan.  It shapes many a rough fellow.”