The trust of the family in this man was something wonderful to see.

Without a word more, on her side, Aunt Ablewhite left the room.

"Ah!" said Mr. Bruff, looking after her. "The Herncastle blood has its

drawbacks, I admit. But there IS something in good breeding after all!"

Having made that purely worldly remark, he looked hard at my corner,

as if he expected me to go. My interest in Rachel--an infinitely higher

interest than his--riveted me to my chair.

Mr. Bruff gave it up, exactly as he had given it up at Aunt Verinder's,

in Montagu Square. He led Rachel to a chair by the window, and spoke to

her there.

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"My dear young lady," he said, "Mr. Ablewhite's conduct has naturally

shocked you, and taken you by surprise. If it was worth while to contest

the question with such a man, we might soon show him that he is not to

have things all his own way. But it isn't worth while. You were quite

right in what you said just now; he is beneath our notice."

He stopped, and looked round at my corner. I sat there quite immovable,

with my tracts at my elbow and with Miss Jane Ann Stamper on my lap.

"You know," he resumed, turning back again to Rachel, "that it was part

of your poor mother's fine nature always to see the best of the people

about her, and never the worst. She named her brother-in-law your

guardian because she believed in him, and because she thought it would

please her sister. I had never liked Mr. Ablewhite myself, and I induced

your mother to let me insert a clause in the will, empowering her

executors, in certain events, to consult with me about the appointment

of a new guardian. One of those events has happened to-day; and I find

myself in a position to end all these dry business details, I hope

agreeably, with a message from my wife. Will you honour Mrs. Bruff by

becoming her guest? And will you remain under my roof, and be one of

my family, until we wise people have laid our heads together, and have

settled what is to be done next?"

At those words, I rose to interfere. Mr. Bruff had done exactly what

I had dreaded he would do, when he asked Mrs. Ablewhite for Rachel's

bonnet and shawl.

Before I could interpose a word, Rachel had accepted his invitation in

the warmest terms. If I suffered the arrangement thus made between

them to be carried out--if she once passed the threshold of Mr. Bruff's

door--farewell to the fondest hope of my life, the hope of bringing my

lost sheep back to the fold! The bare idea of such a calamity as

this quite overwhelmed me. I cast the miserable trammels of worldly

discretion to the winds, and spoke with the fervour that filled me, in

the words that came first.




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