Michaelmas-day.  Mrs Crocket says she thinks she can get you a tenant for the three months, out of Exeter, if not for the whole rent, at least for part of it.  I think we have already got a small place for eight shillings a week, a little out of the village, on the road to Cockchaffington.  You will remember it.  Old Soames used to live there.  Our old furniture will be just enough.  There is a mite of a garden, and Mrs Crocket says she thinks we can get it for seven shillings, or perhaps for six and sixpence, if we stay there.  We shall go in on the 29th.  Mrs Crocket will see about having somebody to take care of the house.

Your most affectionate sister,

Priscilla.’

On the receipt of this letter, Hugh proceeded to Nuncombe.  At this time he was making about ten guineas a week, and thought that he saw his way to further work.  No doubt the ten guineas were precarious; that is, the ‘Daily Record’ might discontinue his services tomorrow, if the ’Daily Record’ thought fit to do so.  The greater part of his earnings came from the ‘D.  R.,’ and the editor had only to say that things did not suit any longer, and there would be an end of it.  He was not as a lawyer or a doctor with many clients who could not all be supposed to withdraw their custom at once; but leading articles were things wanted with at least as much regularity as physic or law; and Hugh Stanbury, believing in himself, did not think it probable that an editor, who knew what he was about, would withdraw his patronage.  He was proud of his weekly ten guineas, feeling sure that a weekly ten guineas would not as yet have been his had he stuck to the Bar as a profession.  He had calculated, when Mrs Trevelyan left the Clock House, that two hundred a year would enable his mother to continue to reside there, the rent of the place furnished, or half-furnished, being only eighty; and he thought that he could pay the two hundred easily.  He thought so still, when he received Priscilla’s last letter; but he knew something of the stubbornness of his dear sister, and he, therefore, went down to Nuncombe Putney, in order that he might use the violence of his logic on his mother.

He had heard of Mr Gibson from both Priscilla and from Dorothy, and was certainly desirous that ‘dear old Dolly,’ as he called her, should be settled comfortably.  But when dear old Dolly wrote to him declaring that it could not be so, that Mr Gibson was a very nice gentleman, of whom she could not say that she was particularly fond, ’though I really do think that he is an excellent man, and if it was any other girl in the world, I should recommend her to take him,’ and that she thought that she would rather not get married, he wrote to her the kindest brotherly letter in the world, telling her that she was a ‘brick,’ and suggesting to her that there might come some day some one who would suit her taste better than Mr Gibson.  ’I’m not very fond of parsons myself,’ said Hugh, ‘but you must not tell that to Aunt Stanbury.’  Then he suggested that as he was going down to Nuncombe, Dorothy should get leave of absence and come over and meet him at the Clock House.  Dorothy demanded the leave of absence somewhat imperiously, and was at home at the Clock House when Hugh arrived.