"Quite so, quite so, my dear sir," he said. "I am quite sure you will

feel only too delighted and honoured at the prospect of taking this

dear child into your family."

"Yes," said Mr. Heron, unctuously, "we will take her in as a lamb

gathered into the fold, as a brand is plucked from the burning."

Ida looked at him half stupefied, and it is to be feared some doubts of

his sanity arose in her mind.

"Quite so, quite so," interrupted Mr. Wordley again. "Then I think the

sooner Miss Ida joins you the better; and I would suggest that she goes

with you to-morrow. I will close the house and leave Jessie, the

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maid-servant, and Jason in charge. You and Miss Ida can depend on my

guarding her interests as jealously as if they were my own. I will have

a sale of the stock and other things which we are free to sell, and,

meanwhile, Miss Ida must permit me to advance her some money on account

of the proceeds."

He handed her an envelope in which he had already placed some

bank-notes; but Ida looked at him and slowly shook her head.

"No, no, my dear!" he said. "I should not be guilty of such

presumption. Though you are leaving Heron Hall, though it may be

passing away from you forever, you are still, in my eyes, Miss Heron of

Herondale, and I should not presume to offer you--" His voice broke,

and his eyes filled with tears. "The money is yours, and you can take

it without any loss of the pride which is your rightful heritage. If I

have not offered you a home where you would indeed be an honoured

guest, it is because I know that it would not be fitting for me to

offer it, or you to accept it. Mr. John Heron is your natural guardian;

but though that is so, I will ask you to remember that I claim the

privilege of being your father's friend and yours, and that in any

trouble you will be but honouring that privilege when you come to me

for advice and assistance."

His voice was almost inaudible before he had finished, and Ida, down

whose cheek tears were running for the first time, extended both hands

in mute but eloquent gratitude. They had both forgotten Mr. John

Heron's presence but were reminded of it by something between a cough

and a sniff from him; and at a glance from Mr. Wordley, Ida turned to

the gaunt figure and held out her hand.




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