of us, if we are so inclined, the hospitality of his humble home, as he
calls it. I cannot afford to go to a hotel, and we have no friend to
whose house we could go uninvited, so I feel inclined to accept the
invitation."

"You had better do so, Miss Melville; and as it may be a while before
you meet with work, and as travelling about to look for it costs money,
you will be so good as to take this, with my best wishes," said Miss
Thomson, opening her desk and taking out a five-pound note and handing
it to Jane, who, though she had fancied she never could have accepted
money from a stranger, felt this to be offered so frankly and
kindly, that she thanked Miss Thomson and took it.

"This is the best sign of you yet--no foolish pride--no flying in my
face with indignant disclaiming of what people call charity, and
throwing the bit of paper on the carpet for the lass to sweep out, but
a sensible and reasonable way of taking from a fellow-creature what she
would take as pleasantly from you if she needed it and you had it to
spare. You will do, Miss Melville; only mind, as the old Scotch proverb
has it, 'You must set a stout heart to a stey brae'."

On Jane's return to Cross Hall she found her sister in very much better
spirits than when she set out for Allendale. An idea had struck Elsie,
consequent partly on the remark Jane had made about her name looking
well on the title-page of a book, and partly on her seeing in the
Poet's Corner of the SWINTON COURIER some verses very inferior to her
own which Mrs. Dalzell had returned to her. She was a poet; and what
was there to hinder her from distinguishing herself in the
literary world by thoughts that breathe and words that burn; and also
from earning in this pleasant way a handsome income. Hope arose out of