"Oh, by the by," said she, "I had forgot; the Doctor said that if you would send for him, he would be most happy to call on you, and give you any advice." "Very well." "And what shall I say to Mr. Blackwell?" "That he may tell his employer to remember our last interview." With that Philip took up his bundle and strode from the house. He went first to the churchyard, where his mother's remains had been that day interred. It was near at hand, a quiet, almost a rural, spot. The gate stood ajar, for there was a public path through the churchyard, and Philip entered with a noiseless tread. It was then near evening; the sun had broken out from the mists of the earlier day, and the wistering rays shone bright and holy upon the solemn place. "Mother! mother!" sobbed the orphan, as he fell prostrate before that fresh green mound: "here--here I have come to repeat my oath, to swear again that I will be faithful to the charge you have entrusted to your wretched son! And at this hour I dare ask if there be on this earth one more miserable and forlorn?" As words to this effect struggled from his lips, a loud, shrill voice-- the cracked, painful voice of weak age wrestling with strong passion, rose close at hand. "Away, reprobate! thou art accursed!" Philip started, and shuddered as if the words were addressed to himself, and from the grave. But, as he rose on his knee, and tossing the wild hair from his eyes, looked confusedly round, he saw, at a short distance, and in the shadow of the wall, two forms; the one, an old man with grey hair, who was seated on a crumbling wooden tomb, facing the setting sun; the other, a man apparently yet in the vigour of life, who appeared bent as in humble supplication. The old man's hands were outstretched over the head of the younger, as if suiting terrible action to the terrible words, and, after a moment's pause--a moment, but it seemed far longer to Philip--there was heard a deep, wild, ghastly howl from a dog that cowered at the old man's feet; a howl, perhaps of fear at the passion of his master, which the animal might associate with danger. "Father! father!" said the suppliant reproachfully, "your very dog rebukes your curse." "Be dumb! My dog! What hast thou left me on earth but him? Thou hast made me loathe the sight of friends, for thou hast made me loathe mine own name. Thou hast covered it with disgrace,--thou hast turned mine old age into a by-word,--thy crimes leave me solitary in the midst of my shame!" "It is many years since we met, father; we may never meet again--shall we part thus?" "Thus, aha!" said the old man in a tone of withering sarcasm! "I comprehend,--you are come for money!" At this taunt the son started as if stung by a serpent; raised his head to its full height, folded his arms, and replied: