mother, a very phenomenon of age, whom she had supported almost
from a child, was dead, and she had no other relation); who now
busied herself in preparing the table, and who stood, at intervals,
with her bare red arms crossed, rubbing her grazed elbows with
opposite hands, and staring at it very composedly, until she
suddenly remembered something else she wanted, and jogged off to
fetch it.

'Here are them two lawyers a-coming, Mister!' said Clemency, in a
tone of no very great good-will.

'Ah!' cried the Doctor, advancing to the gate to meet them. 'Good
morning, good morning! Grace, my dear! Marion! Here are Messrs.
Snitchey and Craggs. Where's Alfred!'

'He'll be back directly, father, no doubt,' said Grace. 'He had so
much to do this morning in his preparations for departure, that he
was up and out by daybreak. Good morning, gentlemen.'

'Ladies!' said Mr. Snitchey, 'for Self and Craggs,' who bowed,
'good morning! Miss,' to Marion, 'I kiss your hand.' Which he
did. 'And I wish you' - which he might or might not, for he didn't
look, at first sight, like a gentleman troubled with many warm
outpourings of soul, in behalf of other people, 'a hundred happy
returns of this auspicious day.'

'Ha ha ha!' laughed the Doctor thoughtfully, with his hands in his
pockets. 'The great farce in a hundred acts!'

'You wouldn't, I am sure,' said Mr. Snitchey, standing a small