“Mrs. Rodger must be paid,” said Martha. “I am going to the warehouse to-day--we must see--we must think about it all, Agnes.” But they made no reference to Harry. Rose, who had said nothing all this time, was already working very rapidly, pausing for an instant sometimes to look round upon them with affectionate wistfulness, but scarcely slackening the speed of her needle even then; there was such occasion for labour now, as there had never been before. Poor Harry! He sat in silence, and heard them discuss those sad economics--he saw that they made no reference to him; and the bitterness of having lost the confidence of those whose strong and deep affection could not be doubted, even by the most morbid pride, smote him to the heart. A momentary perception of his position disclosed itself to Harry, and with the instant spring of his elastic temperament, he felt that to perceive was to correct, and that the power lay with himself to recover all that he had lost. With a sudden start he turned to his wife and his sister. “Agnes!--Martha!--why do you look so miserable? I will get another situation. We may be better yet than we ever were before.” “And so we may,” said Martha, pressing her hand to her forehead, “and so we may--we will always hope and look for the best.” Her voice sounded like a knell. Agnes, who was not quick to discover shades of implied meaning, brightened at the words--but Rose, who deprecated and softened in other cases, could oppose nothing to this. It made herself sick and hopeless--for worse than all impatience or harshness was this conscious yielding to fruitless and false hope, as one yields to a fretful child. CHAPTER XV. “Now shall you see me do my daily penance. Mean, say you?--’tis the grander suffering then. And thus I bear my yoke.”-- IT had been Martha’s custom at all times to take upon herself the disagreeable things of their daily life. A turbulent stormy spirit, it was impossible to form any apprehension of her character without taking into account the harsh and strong pride which had come undiminished through all her trials; “----the spurns Which patient merit of the unworthy takes,”--