Under these circumstances he applied himself diligently to cultivate the good will of the master of Llysderw, and turned the intervening time before the funeral to such good account that he received what he wanted, i.e., a hearty invitation from Mr. Morgan to accompany him and his belongings in their approaching move to his house. And so skilfully did Reginald manage to adapt himself to the idiosyncrasies of each member of the family, and so agreeable did he make himself, that his acceptance of the invitation was a source of satisfaction to them all.

Honest Mr. Morgan, never wholly free from consciousness that his position was inferior to that of his wife's first husband, and always keenly alive to any indication of a similar consciousness on the part of other people, had at first regarded Reginald with dread as a tip-top, fashionable, supercilious London swell, looking down upon less favoured mortals from a pinnacle of contemptuous superiority. With this dread was mingled also a strong tendency to admiration, and just the least tinge possible of envy-for the good gentleman dearly loved an occasional whiff of the great world which, nevertheless, he did not himself aspire to enter. And it was a delightful surprise to him to find himself treated by the formidable visitor on terms of such perfect equality as to set him quite at ease, dissipate his previous awe, flatter his amour-propre, and convince him that the London swell was none the less a thorough good fellow, absolutely free from nonsense, and the last man to indulge in airs and graces towards anyone who did not happen to belong to exactly the same "set" as himself.

The young man had been equally clever in discovering the way to win Mrs. Morgan's heart also. She was of opinion that she had never met any other person capable of a more nice appreciation of the difference between what was the male and what the female department in an establishment. He always seemed to understand exactly when to be in the way, and when out of it; when to speak, and when to be silent; when to help, and when to let alone; what to do, and what not to do; what required masculine intervention, and what was best without it. She felt sure that he would be as good a head of a house as the heart of woman could desire, and beheld approvingly the symptoms which showed her that he was a candidate for the place left vacant by Percy's withdrawal. What the rights of that matter had been she had not been able to understand quite clearly. But at any rate she knew that the lovers had failed to get on together for some reason or other, and had parted by mutual consent; she knew also that sometimes an unpleasantness of that kind would set a girl completely against all love-affairs for ever after. And Mrs. Morgan, having before her eyes the dreadful possibility of

that neither purposely nor accidentally-was it possible for that blow to have been self-inflicted. When Dr. Jones found his own opinion supported so influentially, he no longer hesitated to make it known, and thus the unwonted spectacle of two doctors in perfect accord with one another was presented to the public. The jury, not being used to that sort of thing, hardly knew what to make of it at first, and were not quite sure whether the phenomenal medical concord might not conceal some dark and fearful mystery which it behoved them to bring to light. But on further consideration they changed their minds and determined, on the contrary, that when medical evidence was so unanimous it could by no possibility be in the wrong, and might safely be accepted as infallibly correct. What that evidence showed in the present case was, that the man must have been killed by someone else, and the murder committed at the place where he was found. It had been discovered also that the handle of the kitchen poker and the mark of the blow on the victim's head corresponded together with singular exactitude, and that there was no trace of anyone except Leah having been in or near the cottage at the time when the supposed murder had occurred. And as the readiest way of reconciling these facts to one another was to suppose that she had had a quarrel with her husband and resorted to poker arbitration, she became the object of awkward suspicions, and was committed for trial at the ensuing autumn assizes.

The verdict did not in the least upset her habitual stolidity.. She asked if she could have her cat with her in prison; on being answered in the negative, requested that the animal might be put in charge of a neighbour she named who she thought would be kind to it; and then she was removed to gaol with just the same immovable, sullen, heavy, phlegmatic expression as usual.

While all these events were taking place, Reginald was prosecuting his wooing with the utmost vigour possible, even though not quite with the unceremonious abruptness that his foster-mother had wished. He found that Nant Olchfa was to be shut up and left to itself for awhile immediately after David's funeral, as the family were then going to migrate to Mr. Morgan's house-Llysderw. Reginald had been asked to stay on for the melancholy ceremony which his relationship made it natural for him to attend; but after that had taken place he would evidently have no excuse for remaining longer, and would be bound to take himself off, unless his hosts should suggest a prolongation of the visit. And to take himself off was the very last thing he wished to do just at the time when it was of vital importance to him to be constantly with Gladys, both in order to lose no opportunity of pushing on his suit, and also that he might appear in the eyes of his creditors as her favoured suitor.

Under these circumstances he applied himself diligently to cultivate the good will of the master of Llysderw, and turned the intervening time before the funeral to such good account that he received what he wanted, i.e., a hearty invitation from Mr. Morgan to accompany him and his belongings in their approaching move to his house. And so skilfully did Reginald manage to adapt himself to the idiosyncrasies of each member of the family, and so agreeable did he make himself, that his acceptance of the invitation was a source of satisfaction to them all.

Honest Mr. Morgan, never wholly free from consciousness that his position was inferior to that of his wife's first husband, and always keenly alive to any indication of a similar consciousness on the part of other people, had at first regarded Reginald with dread as a tip-top, fashionable, supercilious London swell, looking down upon less favoured mortals from a pinnacle of contemptuous superiority. With this dread was mingled also a strong tendency to admiration, and just the least tinge possible of envy-for the good gentleman dearly loved an occasional whiff of the great world which, nevertheless, he did not himself aspire to enter. And it was a delightful surprise to him to find himself treated by the formidable visitor on terms of such perfect equality as to set him quite at ease, dissipate his previous awe, flatter his amour-propre, and convince him that the London swell was none the less a thorough good fellow, absolutely free from nonsense, and the last man to indulge in airs and graces towards anyone who did not happen to belong to exactly the same set" as himself.

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The young man had been equally clever in discovering the way to win Mrs. Morgan's heart also. She was of opinion that she had never met any other person capable of a more nice appreciation of the difference between what was the male and what the female department in an establishment. He always seemed to understand exactly when to be in the way, and when out of it; when to speak, and when to be silent; when to help, and when to let alone; what to do, and what not to do; what required masculine intervention, and what was best without it. She felt sure that he would be as good a head of a house as the heart of woman could desire, and beheld approvingly the symptoms which showed her that he was a candidate for the place left vacant by Percy's withdrawal. What the rights of that matter had been she had not been able to understand quite clearly. But at any rate she knew that the lovers had failed to get on together for some reason or other, and had parted by mutual consent; she knew also that sometimes an unpleasantness of that kind would set a girl completely against all love-affairs for ever after. And Mrs. Morgan, having before her eyes the dreadful possibility of

Gladys electing a life of single-blessedness and Nant Olchfa's lapsing into petticoat government, was prepared to hail with joy the prospect of having her mind set effectually at rest as to these two points, by the girl being married to an eligible husband.

Towards Gladys herself the suitor behaved as judiciously as he did towards her parents. He was quick to read and obey her wishes; knew how to enliven her gently and divert her mind from brooding over her troubles; was never wanting in one jot of the deference and respect which she-without herself being aware of it-had grown to regard as her due; and was always ready to render any service that she required.

If the conversation turned upon business relating to the property, he showed the interest that was naturally warranted by his position as heir presumptive, and yet steered clear of all appearance of inclination to presume upon that position. Perceiving that the place and its people were dear to her, he adopted the same tone found the scenery in that part of the world charming and the inhabitants remarkably likeable, and entered zealously into her various schemes for the improvement and welfare of the tenants, estate, and district in general.

All this was just as it should be, she thought. It would grieve her greatly to think of Nant Olchfa having a ruler who did not care for the dear old place, and make it his home and occupation as past generations had done. And there could be no doubt that this man or one of his children would reign there some day or other, since she herself would certainly never marry, and expose herself to the chance of being deceived and made a fool of again as she had been by Percy!

Nant Olchfa was just then occupying an extremely prominent place in her thoughts, and its interests seemed to her of paramount importance. For one thing she had loved and been. proud of her home all her life; and her affections had a greater tendency than ever to concentrate themselves upon it, now that her heart was sore from the recent harsh rending-away of two objects round which its fibres had been twined closely, and was seeking instinctively for some one or thing to fill the empty place. Besides, since the ownership had devolved upon her, she was full of anxiety lest she should in any way prove unworthy of that grave responsibility, and fall short in discharging the onerous duties of her new position.

She knew that her influence and importance had increased as well as her wealth; and in her eyes that meant that her duties had increased also-Noblesse oblige. The great talent which had been entrusted to her must be used for the benefit of the world at large, and not merely for her own comfort and pleasure. She must look forward to no selfish ease, but to a life of constant hard work, and consideration for and devotion to the

interests of her numerous dependants, tenants, labourers, and neighbours. Her duties and cares would occupy her too fully to leave time for self-pleasing and amusements. What of that? It was more noble to live for duty than for amusement, she told herself.

And the fact of her regarding the matter in this light showed that she was not without her share of those high (though sometimes impracticable) aspirations, and that enthusiasm for humanity, which generally exists in the breast of ingenuous and right-minded youth, and which-even though they may afterwards disappear completely from sight--are sure to have a hand in moulding the subsequent adult character.

This, then, being the girl's frame of mind, she was delighted at Reginald's willingness to discuss and enter into the various schemes bubbling within her for giving effect to the laudable desires whereby she was animated. And she fraternised with him and responded freely to his advances, without remembering that there was a possibility of his meaning anything beyond friendship.

What could be more pleasant and natural than that she and the person who was her cousin and next heir should be on intimate terms together?-and that he should take nearly as much interest in whatever concerned Nant Olchfa as she did herself? She had so much to tell him too. For, of course, she, who had lived there almost all her life, must have a much better understanding of the ins and outs of things in that locality and estate than a comparative stranger like him. And he seemed to be sensible enough to know that, and to wish to pick up ideas from her, consult her, hear about her projects, and generally avail himself of her superior wisdom. He naturally felt that there could be no more right and fitting person than her to introduce him to, and instruct him about, his future kingdom; and she, for her part, was most glad to be able thus to help him.

It was to her what Mrs. Carlyle calls "a good joy" to think that perhaps he would eventually govern all the better for her sage advice. Then after she herself should be dead, her power for good would still exist amongst her fellow creatures; they would-though unconscious of their benefactor-be the better for her having lived; she would have made a difference to the world, and have left "footprints on the sands of time" not to be ashamed of. She contemplated this purely unselfish object of ambition with earnest desire, and felt a real, honest satisfaction. to think that there was a possibility of attaining it. Yet somehow she sighed, too, in spite of her satisfaction. What made her sigh she did not know exactly. But she had an indefinite sense of there being some deficiency or other in the prospectsomething that excited a vague yearning and self-pity.