Round and round went the glancing tea-cup in the snowy folds of the towel which covered Lettie’s little hands--for she too forgot what she was doing in curious interest about this; a slight impatient exclamation concluded the interval of breathless silence. “No, I cannot take it--it is very kind, I daresay, of Mr. Buchanan; but I cannot accept this,” exclaimed Harry as he handed the letter across the table to Martha. But the visitor saw, that in spite of Harry’s quick decision, he looked at his sister almost as if he wished her opinion to be different. Agnes too changed her position, and came to Martha’s side. The letter was very short. “SIR, My son has informed me of the circumstances under which you have left the office. I regret the loss for your sake, as well as my own, but I cannot feel myself justified in doing what I hear my son threatened to do, consequently if you will call at the office in the course of to-morrow, Mr. Gilchrist has instructions to pay you the full amount of your quarter’s salary, due on the 1st proximo. I am, Sir, Your obedient Servant, GEORGE BUCHANAN.” “I cannot take it--I do not see how I can take it,” said Harry, irresolutely, as he sought Martha’s eye. “It’s nonsense, that,” said Mr. Gilchrist, taking out a large silver snuff-box and tapping slowly on its lid, with his great forefinger, “you must look at the thing coolly, Harry, my man. It’s no fault of yours that you lost the money; no sensible person would blame you for that--a thing which has happened to many a one before. I mind very well being once robbed myself. I was a lad then, about your years, and the sum was thirty pounds; but by good fortune twenty of it was in an English note, and not being very sure whether it was canny or not, I had taken its number--so off I set to all the banks and stopped it. It was a July day, and I was new married, and had no superabundance of notes, let alone twenty-pounders--such a race I had,” said Mr. Gilchrist with a smile, raising his red and brown handkerchief to his brow in sympathetic recollection, “I believe I was a stone lighter that night. I succeeded, however, and got back my English note very soon; but Mr. Buchanan would not hear of deducting the other ten from my salary; and he’s better able to stand the loss of a few pounds now than he was then. Think better of it, Harry.” “I think Mr. Gilchrist is right,” said Martha, “no one could possibly blame you for such a misfortune, Harry--and Mr. Buchanan is very good--you have no right to reject his kindness; it is as ungenerous to turn away from a favour frankly offered, as it is to withhold more than is meet.”