"There," he said, after a few minutes' struggle, "now for other duties. I still have you." The pressure of Mary's hand spoke more than words, and the poor fellow sat at last, feeling that, after all, there were great compensations in life. The sight of a well-dressed visitor coming up to the house interrupted their quiet communion, just as they had felt that no more could be done respecting Leo, after Salis had been placed _au courant_ with the state of affairs at the Rectory. Among others that Dally had been to and fro several times to see her grandfather, but had settled down to her work as of old. In fact that young lady entered the room directly after the ringing of the gate bell, to state that Mrs Berens was in the drawing-room, and wanted to see master "partickler." "I will see her for you, Hartley," said Mary. "No," replied Salis firmly; "I want work to keep my brain quiet, or I shall be ill. Show her in here, Dally." "No, no, I will fetch her," said Mary, smiling at her brother's want of etiquette. She left the room to return directly. "Come and see her, Hartley," she said. "Poor woman, she is in sad trouble." "Hah! I am glad," cried Salis. "Something to think about. The best medicine for me." "Oh, Mr Salis, what shall I do? What you have so often said!" sobbed Mrs Berens, as he entered the room, and she clung to his extended hand. "What I have so often said?" "Yes; about riches. I'm a poor, helpless woman now. All gone--all gone!" It was a long story about how she had allowed herself to be influenced by Cousin Thompson, whom she had permitted to make investment after investment till he seemed to have got the whole of the widow's money into his hands. "And all went so well till that day when I offended him, dear Mr Salis. Since then I have had nothing but bad news about my property, and now I can get no answers from him at all." "A scoundrel!" cried Salis; "but what day do you mean?" "That day when--must I tell you everything?" "If you wish for my help," said Salis sharply. "I do, Mr Salis; but pray don't speak angrily to me. I am so broken and unhappy now." "My dear madam, I want to help you. Pray tell me all." "He came down to me one day--I have the date somewhere--and he proposed to me. I refused him at once, for I quite disliked the man, and he went away my enemy, I'm sure, and when I heard of his conduct towards his cousin, I felt that I had had a narrow escape from a perfect fiend. And now, Mr Salis, what shall I do?" "The dog!" ejaculated Salis. "I'm longing for occupation; leave it to me, Mrs Berens. I've been seeing a friend--my solicitor--in town about North's affair with his cousin; we'll work the two together, and if Mr Thompson does not mind, he'll find himself in a strange fix."