settled down to the simple toil of accumulation.



CHAPTER VI.


But Crawford had not a miser's nature. His house, his name, his
children were dearer, after all, to him than gold. Hope springs
eternal in the breast; in a little while he had provided himself with
a new motive: he would marry Helen to young Farquharson, and endow her
so royally that Farquharson would gladly take her name. There should
be another house of Crawford of which Helen should be the root.

Helen had been long accustomed to consider Hugh Farquharson as her
future husband. The young people, if not very eager lovers, were at
least very warm and loyal friends. They had been in no hurry to finish
the arrangement. Farquharson was in the Scot's Greys; it was
understood that at his marriage he should resign his commission, so,
though he greatly admired Helen, he was in no hurry to leave the
delights of metropolitan and military life.

But suddenly Crawford became urgent for the fulfilment of the
contract, and Helen, seeing how anxious he was, and knowing how sorely
Colin had disappointed him, could no longer plead for a delay. And yet
a strange sadness fell over her; some inexplicable symptoms as to her
health led her to fear she would never be Farquharson's wife; the gay
wedding attire that came from Edinburgh filled her with a still
sorrow; she could not appropriate any part of it as her own.