had not, however, entered the office at the usual age, but when
eighteen had gone out to the United States, to visit an uncle who
had settled there. After spending some time with him, the love of
adventure had taken him to the far West, and there he had hunted
and shot for nearly three years, till a letter, long delayed on the
way, entreated him to return to England, as his father's health was
failing. He at once started for England, and found that his father
was in a feeble state of health, but was still able to carry on the
business. Frank saw, however, that he was unequal to the work, and
so entered the office, working hard to make up for lost time. He
was a good draughtsman, and was shortly able to take a great burden
off his father's shoulders.

He had not been long at home, however, before he fell in love with
Clara Aintree, the daughter of a clergyman; and his father making
over to him a share in the business, they were married just as
Frank attained his twenty-fourth year, his wife being about
nineteen. Two years after the marriage Mr. Hardy senior died, and
from that time Frank had carried on the business alone.

B--- was a large provincial town, but it scarcely afforded
remunerative employment for an architect; and although Mr. Hardy
had no competitor in his business, the income which he derived from
it was by no means a large one, and the increasing expenses of his
family rendered the struggle to make ends meet yearly more severe.
His father had been possessed of a small private fortune, but had
rashly entered into the mania of railway speculation, and at his
death had left about fifteen thousand dollars to his son. This sum
Frank Hardy had carefully preserved intact, as he had foreseen that
the time might come when it would, for his children's sake, be