While she had been comforting her husband in his sorrow over his miserable daughter her own better nature was aroused, and when finally she had occasion to allude to her old uncle she felt ashamed of the selfish and avaricious spirit that had inspired her to run after him for his imaginary wealth and to covet its inheritance, and she secretly resolved to try, with the Lord’s help, to put away the evil influence and think of the old relative as a lonely old man whose age and infirmities it should be not only her duty but her pleasure to cherish and support. And then the spirit of avarice departed for the time being, at least; for a devil cannot endure the presence of an angel. While this change was silently passing within her she still held her husband’s hand. At length she spoke again, slightly varying the subject. “What about the boy?” she inquired, referring to his son. “The man, you mean; for he is twenty-eight years old. I don’t know! I hope he will never get a pulpit, for I know this much, that he is totally unfit for one; yes, and the bishops, whose boots he is always licking in the hope of preferment, know it, too! He got the promise of the living here at Haymore from the fraudulent claimant who has ruined us all, or tried to do so; but that goes for nothing at all, for Mr. Randolph Hay has already given it to the Rev. Mr. Campbell, a good man and worthy minister. So my vagabond will also have to meet with humiliating disappointment along with his felonious patron and wretched sister.” “Think no more on it, except to do the best you can and leave the rest to the Lord,” said Julia. At this moment the door opened and a footman entered with a large tray laden with tea, bread and butter, game pie, cakes, sweetmeats and other edibles. He put it down on the tables between the two people and said: “My mistress thought, sir, that you might like refreshments after your journey. And would you prefer a bottle of wine, sir?” “No, thank you; nothing more whatever. You need not wait,” replied Mr. Legg. The man touched his forehead and left the room. Judy had remembered what Ran, with all his goodness of heart, had forgotten. But, then, it is almost always Eve, and seldom or never Adam, who is “On hospitable thoughts intent,” in the way of feeding at least. Julia poured out tea for her husband and filled his plate with game pie and bread and butter, and made him eat and drink and set him a good example in that agreeable duty. In the meantime the company in the drawing-room were getting a little weary of waiting. Mr. Hay had contrived to draw the curate aside, where they could settle the affair of the living. It was but a short conference, for Mr. Campbell was glad and grateful to accept it. At the end of their talk the minister said very sincerely: