“Your sister has courage for everything--but leaving you,” said she, throwing her arm on his shoulder. “I must be off. I have only half an hour left to pack my portmanteau and be at the station. One word with you alone, Bramleigh,” said he, in a low tone, and Augustus walked at once into the adjoining room. “You want some of these, I 'm certain,” said Cutbill, as he drew forth a roll of crushed and crumpled bank-notes, and pressed them into Bramleigh's hand. “You 'll pay them back at your own time; don't look so stiff, man, it's only a loan.” “I assure you if I look stiff, it's not what I feel. I 'm overwhelmed by your good-nature; but, believe me, I 'm in no want of money.” “Nobody ever is; but it's useful, all the same. Take them to oblige me. Take them just to show you 're not such a swell as won't accept even the smallest service from a fellow like me--do now, do!” and he looked so pleadingly that it was not easy to refuse him. “I 'm very proud to think I have won such friendship; but I give you my word I have ample means for all that I shall need to do; and if I should not, I 'll ask you to help me.” “Good-bye, then. Good-bye, Miss Ellen,” cried he, aloud. “It's not _my_ fault that I 'm not a favorite with you;” and thus saying, he snatched his hat, and was down the stairs and out of the house before Bramleigh could utter a word. “What a kind-hearted fellow it is!” said he, as he joined his sister. “I must tell you what he called me aside for.” She listened quietly while he recounted what had just occurred, and then said,-- “The Gospel tells us it's hard for rich men to get to heaven; but it's scarcely less hard for them to see what there is good here below! So long as we were well off I could see nothing to like in that man.” “That was my own thought a few minutes back; so you see, Nelly, we are not only travelling the same road, but gaining the same experiences.” “Sedley says in this letter here,” said Augustus, the next morning, as he entered the breakfast-room, “that Pracontal's lawyer is perfectly satisfied with the honesty of our intentions, and we shall go to trial in the November term on the ejectment case. It will raise the whole question, and the law shall decide between us.” “And what becomes of that--that arrangement,” said she, hesitatingly, “by which M. Pracontal consented to withdraw his claim?” “It was made against my consent, and I have refused to adhere to it. I have told Sedley so, and told him that I shall hold him responsible to the amount disbursed.” “But, dear Gusty, remember how much to your advantage that settlement would have been.” “I only remember the shame I felt on hearing of it, and my sorrow that Sedley should have thought my acceptance of it possible.” “But how has M. Pracontal taken this money and gone on with his suit?--surely both courses are not open to him?”