"You mean in dismissing him? But he knew the rules, and knew that we never depart from them. But I don't want to talk of that. Where's my little namesake? I have a present here for him." "Not for him; we will not accept help from you under any names, Mr. Frank." "Well, I would help you if I could," the young man said quietly; "but I understand and respect your feelings. Business men have to be guided by rules that seem harsh to women, I am sure. Only remember, if you ever feel that there is anything I can do, you have my address. It will give me real pleasure to help you, Mrs. Rayburn." He bowed and withdrew, and old Mrs. Rayburn gave young Mrs. Rayburn a lecture for being so proud and so foolish. "I cannot help it," Janet said. "Did you remark how it was all that he wished to help me; not a word of kindness for Fred, who has worked under him so long? No, I will not put up with that sort of kindness." Janet had never left Hemsborough except to go to school in a small town not ten miles off, so the journey to Liverpool was quite a formidable undertaking for her. But she had plenty of commonsense, and managed very well. She and her boys reached the Ship Hotel in safety. And now there was nothing to do but to wait. Waiting is always weary work, and poor Janet was anxious about her husband and uneasy about her boys. Accustomed to play about the big brewery yards and sheds, where every one knew them and took more or less care of them, the boys fretted if she kept them in her room in the hotel; and yet the street and the adjoining quays did not seem a safe playground for them. The hotel was very small, very crowded and noisy, and by no means cheap. However, Janet lived as cheaply as she could; and at last a letter came. Fred wrote from New York, not, as she had hoped, from Halifax, for she had wished him to go there to be nearer to her brother. He had as yet failed to get permanent employment. He could just live, and that was all. People told him that he was not likely to get good employment in New York. Yet what could he do? He had not funds now to go to her brother in British Columbia, and he feared it would be some time before he could save enough. She must husband her money, and stay in England for a while, for if she came to him now, what he feared was, that they would sink into the class that just lives from hand to mouth, and that the boys would get no education. She was to write to him at once, for he longed to hear of her and the boys. Frank and Fred must not forget him. Janet thought long and deeply over this letter, and the immediate result of her meditations was that she wrote to Mr. Frank Hopper. Poor Janet! She felt very reluctant to do it. "Ship Hotel, Guelph Street, Liverpool. "DEAR SIR,