"I wish, Ascott"--and she nerved herself to say what somebody ought
to say to him--"I would you would not lend but pay us the pound a
week you said you could so easily spare."

"To be sure I will. What a thoughtless fellow I have been!
But--but--I fancied you would have asked me if you wanted it. Never
mind, you'll get it all in a lump. Let me see--how much will it come
to? You are the best head going for arithmetic, Aunt Hilary. Do
reckon it all up?" She did so; and the sum total made Ascott open his
eyes wide.

"Upon my soul I had no idea it was so much. I'm very sorry, but I
seem fairly cleaned out this quarter--only a few sovereigns left to
keep the mill going. You shall have them, or half of them, and I'll
owe you the rest. Here!"

He emptied on the table, without counting, four or five pounds.
Hilary took two, asking him gravely "If he was sure he could spare so
much? She did not wish to inconvenience him."

"Oh, not at all; and I wouldn't mind if it did; you have been good
aunts to me."

He kissed her, with a sudden fit of compunction, and bade her
good-night, looking as if he did not care to be "bothered" any more.

Hilary retired, more sad, more hopeless about him than if he had
slammed the door in her face, or scolded her like a trooper. Had he
met her seriousness in the same spirit, even though it had been a