“I entered the bank as a junior clerk, at the age of sixteen, and got 30 pounds for the first two years.  An unknown friend—­I know now who he was—­who had paid for my education and all other expenses previously, sent me 12 pounds a year for three years to help out my earnings.”

“And you could live on that?” said Jane.

“I did live on it somehow,” said Francis.  “My coats were very threadbare and my meals scanty, but I weathered these three years, and then I got a good step, and crept up gradually.  I have been now in this same bank for seventeen years, and am at present in the receipt of 250 pounds a year, thinking myself rich and fortunate;—­now I am rich and unfortunate.  Why did not my father leave me to the career I had made for myself, and you to the inheritance you had been brought up to expect?”

“Thirty pounds a year to begin with,” said Jane, half aloud; “250 pounds after seventeen years’ work.  Very sweet—­all one’s own earning.  I am not afraid, only let Elsie keep up heart.”

“I cannot,” said Elsie; “I’ll be dead long before seventeen years are over.”

“I will take good care of you,” said Jane.

“How are you to take good care either of yourself or of me if we are starving?” said Elsie, with a fresh burst of tears.

“We will do our best.  So you are going, Mr. Hogarth.  Write to me if you can hear of anything for me.  I will be much obliged to you.  Good-bye.”

Jane shook hands with her cousin kindly, and soon after Mr. MacFarlane, and Mr. Baird also, withdrew, leaving the sisters alone.  Elsie wept till she was completely exhausted, while her sister sat at the table with pen and ink and paper before her, but writing nothing.

After a while Elsie started up from the sofa.  “Jane,” said she, “if we were to marry, it would put an end to all this perplexity.  It was strange that uncle put in the clause forbidding us to marry that man.  Neither of us would demean ourselves so much, but uncle disliked the marriage of near relatives.  How strange that so little is said about the mother.  I could not look at him, but you did.  Is he like his father?  My uncle was a very handsome man; I fancy this man is plain.”

“I see little or no likeness to my uncle, but he is by no means plain-looking.”

“Will he get into society?  Do they consider such people legitimate?”

“The marriage was irregular, but legal,” said Jane.  “I see now the cause my uncle had to dislike the Scotch marriage law.  He must have been made very miserable from some unguarded words spoken or written; but this does not prevent his son taking the position of a legitimate heir.  He is quiet and unassuming, and will take a very good place in society.”

“It was well,” said Elsie, with a faint laugh, “that this clause was inserted, for you seem to be in some danger.”

“Not at all; but we were thrown together in very extraordinary circumstances, and I could not help feeling for his position as he felt for ours.  Nor could I help asking for advice from him.  I agree with my uncle about cousins.  He was right there, as he always used to be.  At least, he brought me up to think like him, and I can scarcely believe that what he has now done is wrong.”