“A Syrian ready to perish was my father,” said Martha, slowly. “Yes, it is very fit you should bring the handful of first-fruits; but bring it justly, Harry. Spare it. Do not give it to the church and spend it too.” “Martha is thinking of our old fifteen pounds a quarter,” said Harry, gaily. “Martha forgets that you don’t need to put off an account to pay your seat-rent now, Agnes. Why, only think of a thousand pounds--what a sum it is! It seems to me as if we could never spend it. Look here, Lettie.” And Harry triumphantly exhibited a hundred-pound note. No one present had ever seen such a one before; and simple Harry, with a touch of most innocent pride, had preferred this one piece of paper to the more useful smaller notes, simply to let them see it, and to dazzle their eyes with a whole hundred pounds of their own. “Eh, Harry!” exclaimed Violet, with reverential eyes fixed on Harry’s new pocket-book, “is’t a’ there?” Harry laughed, and closed the book; but they all looked at it a little curiously, and even Agnes felt a momentary doubt as to whether a thousand--ay, or even a hundred--pounds were very safe in Harry’s keeping. “No, it’s not all here,” answered the heir; “it’s all in the bank but this. Now, Agnes, am I not to have any tea? And we must consult about it all. The improvements will cost some two hundred pounds; then we’ll say a hundred and fifty to furnish the drawing-room--that’s very moderate. Then--there are already some things in the dining-room--say a hundred for that, and another hundred for the rest of the house. How much is that, Lettie?” Lettie was counting it up on her fingers. “Eh, Harry, what a heap of siller!” “Five hundred and fifty; and this,” said Harry, complacently laying his finger on his pocket-book, “six; and a hundred to the kirk, seven hundred and fifty; and say fifty pounds for a good horse and Lettie’s pony, and somewhere near a hundred for a carriage, and then--whew! there’s nothing left. I must begin to calculate again--a thousand pounds--” “But, Harry, you said it was only nine hundred,” said Rose. “Well, so it is--it’s all the same. What’s a hundred here or there?” said Harry the Magnificent. “I must just make my calculations over again--that’s all.” “But can people encumbered as you are afford to keep a carriage on four hundred and fifty pounds a-year?” asked Martha. “Oh, not in the town, of course; but the country is quite different. Besides, Allenders will improve to any extent; and I suppose I may double my income very soon. Don’t fear, Martha, we’ll be very careful--oh, don’t be afraid.”