as she said, but ‘common honesty and a great riddance.’  He promised to take steps in earnest for the final settlement with the creditors; and though still far from the last act, Clara began to consider of hastening her plans.  It was exceedingly doubtful whether Oliver would hear of living at Dynevor Terrace, and Clara could not be separated from him; besides which, she was resolved that her brother should not be burthened, and she would give James no promises, conditional or otherwise.

Mr. Dynevor had discovered that Morrison had been in the house, and was obviously restless to know what had taken place.  By-and-by he said to Jane, with an air of inquiry, ’Why does not the young man come near me?’

Mrs. Beckett was too happy to report the invitation, telling ’Master Jem’ at the same time that ’he was not to rake up nothing gone and past; there was quite troubles enough for one while.’  Clara thought the same, and besides was secretly sure that if he admitted that he had been wrong in part, his uncle would imagine him to mean that he had been wrong in the whole.  Their instructions and precautions were trying to James, whose chaplaincy had given him more experience of the sick and the feeble than they gave him credit for; but he was patient enough to amaze Clara and pacify Jane, who ushered him into the sick-chamber.  There, even in his worst days, he must have laid aside ill-feeling at the aspect of the shrunken, broken figure in the pillowed arm-chair, prematurely aged, his hair thin and white, his face shrivelled, his eyelid drooping, and mouth contracted.  He was still some years under sixty; but this was the result of toil and climate—­of the labour generously designed, but how conducted, how resulting?

He had not learned to put out his left hand—­he only made a sharp nod, as James, with tender and humble respect, approached, feeling that, how his grandmother was gone, this frail old man, his father’s brother, was the last who claimed by right his filial love and gratitude.  How different from the rancour and animosity with which he had met his former advances!

He ventured gently on kindly hopes that his uncle was better, and they were not ill taken, though not without fretfulness.  Presently Oliver said, ’Come to look after your sister? that’s right—­good girl, good girl!’

‘That she is!’ exclaimed James, heartily.

‘Too hasty! too great hurry,’ resumed Oliver; ’she had better have waited, saved the old place,—­never mind what became of the old man, one-half dead already.’

’She would not have been a Clara good for much, if she had treated you after that fashion, sir,’ said James, smiling.

He gave his accustomed snort.  ’The mischief a girl let alone can do in three days, when once she’s of age, and one can’t stop her!  Women ought never to come of age, ain’t fit for it, undo all the work of my lifetime with a stroke of her pen!’

‘For your sake, sir!’