"I—I don't know; but she does not get it
without some horrible self-sacrifice; you may
depend on that."

"My dear George, Mrs. Carruthers's case
is not a singular one. We none of us get
money without an extraordinary amount of
self-sacrifice."

"Not a singular one! No, by George, you're
right there, Routh," said the young man,
bitterly; "but does that make it any lighter for
her to bear, or any better for me to reflect
upon? There are hundreds of vagabond sons in
England at this moment, I dare say, outcasts
—sources of shame and degradation to their
mothers, utterly useless to any one. I swear,
when I think of what my mother must have gone
through to raise this money, when I think of
the purpose for which it is required, I
thoroughly loathe myself, and feel inclined to put
a pistol to my head, or a razor to my throat.
However, once free, I—there—that's the old
cant again!"

As the young man said these words, he rose
from his chair, and fell to pacing the room with
long strides. Stewart Routh looked up sternly
at him from under his bent brows, and was
about to speak; but Harriet held up a finger
deprecatingly, and when George Dallas seated
himself again, and, with his face on his hands,
remained moodily gazing at the table, she stole
behind him and laid her hand on his shoulder.

"I know you would not intentionally wound
me, Mr. Dallas," she said. "I say, you would
not intentionally wound me" she repeated,
apparently in answer to his turning sharply round
and staring at her in surprise; "but you seem
to forget that it was I who counselled your
recent visit to your mother, and suggested
your asking her for this sum of money, which
you were bound in honour to pay, and without
the payment of which you—who have always
represented yourself as most dear to her—
would have been compromised for ever. I am
sorry I did so, now that I see my intentions
were misunderstood, and I say so frankly."

"I swear to you, Har—Mrs. Routh—I had
not the slightest idea of casting the least
imputation on your motives; I was only thinking——
You know I'm a little hot on the subject
of my mother, not without reason, perhaps, for
she's been a perfect angel to me, and one
can't expect other people to enter into these
things; and, of course, it was very absurd. But
you must forget it, please, Mrs. Routh, and
you too, Stewart. If I spoke sharply or peevishly,
don't mind it, old fellow!"

"I?" said Routh, with a crisp laugh. "I
don't mind it; and I dare say I was very
provoking; but you see I never knew what it
was to have a mother, and I'm not much
indebted to my other parent. As to the money,
George—these are hard times, but if the
payment of it is to drive a worthy lady to distress,
or is to promote discord between you and me,
why, in friendship's name, keep it, I say!"

"You're a good fellow, Stewart," said Dallas,
putting out his hand; "and you, Mrs. Routh,
have forgiven me?" Though she only bowed
her head slightly, she looked down into his face
with a long, steady, earnest gaze. "There's
an end of it, then, I trust," he continued; "we
never have had words here, and I hope we're
not going to begin now. As for the money,
that must be paid. Whatever my mother has
had to do is as good as done, and need not be
whined over. Besides, I know you want the
money, Stewart."

"That's simply to say that I am in my normal
state. I always want money, my dear
George."

"You shall have this, at all events. And
now I must be off, as I have some work
do for the paper. See you very soon again.
Good-bye, Stewart. The cloud has quite passed
away, Mrs. Routh?"

She said "Quite," as she gave him her hand,
and their eyes met. There was eager inquiry
in his glance; there was calm, steadfast earnestness
in hers. Then he shook hands with Routh,
and left the room.

The moment the door closed behind him, the
smile faded away from Routh's face, and the
stern look which it always wore when he was
preoccupied and thoughtful, settled down upon
it. For a few minutes he was silent; then he
said in a low voice: "Harriet, for the first time
in your life, I suppose, you very nearly
mismanaged a bit of business I entrusted to you."

His wife looked at him with wonder-lifted
brows. "I, Stewart? Not intentionally,
I need not tell you. But how?"

"I mean this business of George's. Did not
you advise him. to go down and see his
mother?"

"I did. I told him he must get the money
from her."

"A mistake, Harry, a mistake!" said Routh,
petulantly. "Getting the money means paying
us; paying us, means breaking with us?"

"Breaking with us?"

"Nothing less. Did you not hear him when
the remorseful fit was on him just now? And
don't you know that he's wonderfully young,
considering all things, and has kept the bloom
on his feelings in a very extraordinary manner?
Did you not hear him mutter something about
'once free'? I did not like that, Harry!"

"Yes, I heard him say those words," replied
Harriet. "It was my hearing them that made
me go up to him and speak as I did."

"That was quite right, and had its effect.
One does not know what he might have done
if he had turned rusty just then. And it is
essential that there should not be a rupture
between us now."

"George Dallas shall not dream of breaking
with us; at least, he shall not carry out any such
idea; I will take care of that," said Harriet,
"though I think you overrate his usefulness to
us."

"Do I? I flatter myself there is no man in
London forced to gain his bread by his wits
who has a better eye for a tool than myself.
And I tell you, Harry, that during all the time