James Poynter blustered and threatened; but the only proceedings he took were the sending of threatening letters to Hendon--letters which Mark advised him to throw into the fire. "Wait," said the latter one evening, "and let him develop his attack; we should only weaken ourselves by going out to meet him." "But if he really has claims on my father, and seizes this place?" "Then, my lad, you and I must set to, and see if it is not possible for us to join hands and get together another home for your father and sister--one, perhaps, that, if small, might be made happy till I came back." "Came back?" said Janet, who had accompanied her brother to the doctor's that evening. "Yes, dear," said Mark. "I have not said a word to a soul; but I'm going back to the Cape by the next boat." "To try your luck again?" said Hendon quickly. "To try my luck again," replied Mark; and he glanced at Rich, who was seated at work with Janet, while the doctor looked on, and smiled placidly at both in turn. Rich turned very pale; but she did not speak. "I have no prospects here," continued Mark; "and out yonder I have faith in making some progress. I shall tempt my fate again." "And if I could only feel sure that those we left behind would be safe," cried Hendon, "I'd go with you." Janet's eyes lit up, and it was a look more of encouragement than blame which she directed at her lover. "You, Hendon?" said Mark, smiling. "Yes; I want to get away, and begin differently. I'm--there, look here, Mark Heath; with a strong-minded chap like you, I know I could get on, doctoring or diamond-digging, or something of that kind. Hallo, what is it?" "Letter, sir." "Letter? Why didn't the boy bring it up?" "He's a-dusting the surgery, sir," replied the maid, who seemed to have been engaged upon some cleansing business in which she had been worsted. "For you, Hendon," said Rich, who had taken the letter. "Is it from the hospital?" "No, it isn't from the hospital," said Hendon quietly, as he knit his brow over the correctly-written formal letter, in which a firm of solicitors respectfully informed him that unless certain sums due on dishonoured bills were paid to them in a specified time, they were instructed by their client, Mr James Poynter, to take immediate proceedings for the recovery of the debt. "Mark, old chap, the attack has begun;" and Hendon handed the letter to the former, who read it through. "Let's go down-stairs," he said. "I want to talk to you." "Is anything wrong?" said Janet anxiously. "Nothing fresh, my dear," replied Mark: "Hendon and I are going to chat over matters. We shall be up again soon." "But is the news very bad?" said Rich. "No: on the whole good," replied Mark; and he and Hendon went down-stairs, and were going into the dining-room, but the gas was lit in the surgery, and they went there, to find Bob going over the bottles, and, after a careful polish, putting them back.