things; a man named Perrault, who used to come to the farm, always
when Lea was out, and talk her into a further state of excitement
about her child's expectations, and the injuries she was suffering.
It was her one idea. She says she really believes she should have
gone mad if the saving had not occupied her; and a very dreary life
poor Joel must have had whilst she was scraping together the passage-
money. He still steadily and sternly disapproved the whole, and when
at two years' end she had put together enough to bring her and her
boy home, and maintain them there for a few weeks, he still refused
to go with her. The last thing he said was, "Remember, Hester, what
was the price of all the kingdoms of the world! Thou wilt have it,
then! Would that I could say, my blessing go with thee." And he
took his child, and held him long in his arms, and never spoke one
word over him but, "My poor boy!"




CHAPTER II. TREVORSHAM



I suppose I had better tell what we had been doing all this time.
Adela and I had come out, and had a season or two in London, and my
father had enjoyed our pleasure in it, and paid a good deal of court
to our pretty Adela, because there was no driving Torwood into
anything warmer than easy brotherly companionship.

In fact, Torwood had never cared for anyone but little Emily
Deerhurst. Once he had come to her rescue, when she was only nine or