Blake came to the rescue. The Selfords drew their money from large and important dyeing-works, although Selford himself had retired from any active share in the work of the business. There was room for scientific aptitude in dyeing-works, Blake opined rather vaguely. "You could make chemistry, for instance, subserve the needs of commerce, couldn't you?" "That really is a good suggestion," said Jeremy approvingly. "Capital!" Grantley agreed. "We'll get at Selford for you, Jeremy; and, if necessary, we'll club together, and send to Terra del Fuego, and buy Janet Selford a new dog." "I begin to see my way," Jeremy announced. Whereat the men laughed, while Sibylla came round and kissed him, laughing too. What a very short time ago, and she had been even as Jeremy, as sanguine, as confident, seeing her way as clearly, with just as little warrant of knowledge! "Meanwhile you mustn't mope, old chap," said Grantley. "Mope? I've no time for moping. Do you think I could see this Selford to-morrow?" "I'll give you a letter to take to him," laughed Grantley. "But don't ask for ten thousand a year all at once, you know." "I know the world. When I really want a thing, I can wait for it." But it was evident that he did not mean to wait very long. Grantley said ten thousand a year: a thousand would seem riches to the Milldean rectory folk. "That's right. If you want a thing, you must be ready to wait for it," agreed Grantley, with smiling lips and a pucker on his brow. "So long as there's any hope," added Sibylla. These hints of underlying things went unheeded by Jeremy, but Blake marked them. They were becoming more frequent now as the tension grew and grew. "There's always a hope with reasonable people." "Opinions differ so much as to what is reasonable." "Dora's not reasonable at present, anyhow." Jeremy's mind had not travelled beyond his own predicament. The contrast he pointed, the mocking memories he stirred, made his presence accentuate and embitter the strife, confirming Sibylla's despair, undermining even Grantley's obstinate self-confidence; while to Blake his example, however much one might smile at it, seemed to cry, "Courage!" He who would have the prize must not shrink from the struggle.