’Who is to prevent me?’ ’I will.’ ’You!—and what if I force you out of the way, and go in and brave you?’ ’You may go in, but I leave and take with me all the little ones. I have made up my mind what to do; I can work and earn enough to support the children, but I will not—no, I will not let them see you and hear you more.’ He looked at her. Her face was resolute. She was the girl to carry out her threat. ’I curse the day I came back to see your wry face,’ he muttered, and rolled over on his side, away from her. She made no reply. Her lips quivered. He did not see it, as he was no longer looking at the door. ’Home is home,’ he said, ’and go where one will there are threads that draw one back to it.’ Honor was softened. ’I am glad, Charles, that you love home. If you love it, respect it.’ ’Don’t fancy that I came home out of love for you.’ Honor sighed. ’I came home to see how father fared about Coombe Park, and how mother was flourishing.’ ’Well, Charles, I am glad you thought of father and mother. You must have a right heart, at ground. Mother is dead, but I know she shames over your bad conduct, and would rejoice were you to mend.’ ’How do you know that? There is no postal communication with the other world, that I am aware of.’ ’Never mind how I know it, but I do.’ ’I was a fool to return. There is no kindness left in the world. If there were I should find a pinch at home, and pity from you.’ ’Charles, if I have been harsh with you, it has been through your own fault. God, who reads all hearts, knows that I love you. But then, I love all the rest of my brothers and sisters, and now that mother is not here to see after them, whom have they got but myself to protect them? I defend them as a cat defends her kittens from a dog. Charles, I am sorry if I have been rough and unkind, and unsisterly to you, but indeed, indeed I cannot help myself. Mother laid the duty on me when she was dying. She caught my hand—so,’ she grasped his wrist, and looking earnestly in his face, said, ’and laid it on me to be father and mother to the little ones. I bent over her and kissed her, and promised I would, and she died with her hand still holding my wrist. I feel her grip there to this day, whenever danger threatens the children. When you first came into the house, on your return, I felt her fingers close as tight on me as when she died. She is always with me, keeping me up to my duty. I cannot help myself, Charles; I must do what I know I ought, and I am sure it is wrong for me to allow you to remain with us longer. Consider, Charles, what the life is that you are now leading.’ ’The life is all right,’ said he moodily. ’I can pay my way. I have more brains than any of these clodhoppers round, and can always earn my livelihood.’ ’Begin about it,’ urged Honor. ’Time enough for that when the last copper is gone wherewith to stop a pipe and fill a can of ale.’