"Now that is all right!" she said merrily; "why can't one go on without bills or horrid money?" "Ah! why can't one?" said Tom, "that would suit most of our complaints. But where's uncle; has he seen the bill?" "No; Papa is in his room; he must not be worried, or the journey will be too much for him." Here the ladies'-maid arrived, with a message that her father wished to see Miss Winter. "Leave your money, Katie," said her cousin, "this is gentlemen's business, and Tom and Mr. Hardy will settle it all for us, I am sure." Tom professed his entire willingness to accept the charge, delighted at finding himself reinstated in his office of protector at Mary's suggestion. Had the landlord been one or his own tradesmen, or the bill his own bill, he might not have been so well pleased, but, as neither of these was the case, and he had Hardy to back him, he went into the matter with much vigor and discretion, and had the landlord up, made the proper deductions, and got the bill settled and receipted in a few minutes. Then he and Hardy addressed themselves to getting the carriage comfortably packed, and vied with one another in settling and stowing away in the most convenient places, the many little odds and ends which naturally accompany young ladies and invalids on their travels; in the course of which employment he managed to snatch a few words here and there with Mary and satisfied himself that she bore him no ill-will for the events of the previous day. At last all was ready for the start, and Tom reported the fact in the sitting-room. "Then I will go and fetch papa," said Miss Winter. Tom's eyes met Mary's at the moment. He gave a slight shrug with his shoulders, and said, as the door closed after his cousin, "Really I have no patience with Uncle Robert, he leaves poor Katie to do everything." "Yes; and how beautifully she does it all, without a word or, I believe, a thought of complaint! I could never be so patient." "I think it is a pity. If Uncle Robert were obliged to exert himself, it would be much better for him. Katie is only spoiling him and wearing herself out." "Yes, it is very easy for you and me to think and say so. But he is her father, and then he is really an invalid. So she goes on devoting herself to him more and more, and feels she can never do too much for him." "But if she believed it would be better for him to exert himself? I'm sure it is the truth. Couldn't you try to persuade her?" "No, indeed; it would only worry her, and be so cruel. But then I am not used to give advice," she added, after a moment's pause, looking demurely at her gloves; "It might do good, perhaps, now, if you were to speak to her." "You think me so well qualified, I suppose, after the specimen you had yesterday? Thank you; I have had enough of lecturing for the present." "I am very much obliged to you, really, for what you said to me," said Mary, still looking at her gloves.