will be besieged by your admirers.
You will never be able to stand such a life for long at a time. Suppose
I relieve guard every fortnight? You must let me have my innings too.
Old gentlemen always like me, I am so cheerful. Then I might have the
boys to see him; you know he ought to divide the property between us."

"Of course he ought. I wish he would have us alternately; it would be a
great relief," said Katherine, laughing.

"I fancy he is _im_-mensely rich," continued Ada. "Why, Mr. Errington
evidently knew his name."

"Who is Mr. Errington?" asked Mrs. Liddell, with languid curiosity.

"Did you never hear of the Calcutta Erringtons?" cried Ada, with
infinite superiority. "There are as rich as Jews, and one of the
greatest houses in India. Old Mr. Errington bought a fine place in the
country lately, and this young man--I'm sure I don't know if he _is_
young; he is as grave as a judge and as stiff as a poker--at all events
he is an only son. I met him at the Burnett's yesterday. Well, he seemed
to know Mr. Liddell's name quite well. Colonel Ormonde pricked up his
ears too when I said you had gone to see him. It is a great advantage to
have a rich old bachelor uncle, Katherine, but you must not keep him all
to yourself."

The next few days were agitated and much occupied. Katherine went for
part of each to read and write and market for the old recluse, and he
grew less formidable, but not more likable, as he became more familiar.
He was an extraordinary example of a human being converted into a
money-making and accumulating machine. He was not especially irritable;
indeed his physical powers were weak and dying of every species of
starvation; but his coldness was supernatural. Fortunately for
Katherine, his former housekeeper was greedy and extravagant, so that
his niece's management seemed wise and economical, and she had an
excellent backer-up in Mr. Newton.

The old miser was with difficulty persuaded to see his sister-in-law;
but Mrs. Liddell insisted on an interview, and Mr. Newton himself
supported her through the trying ordeal.

The mother's heart sank within her at she sight of the gloomy, desolate
abode in which her bright daughter was to be immured; but she comforted
herself by reflecting that it need not be for long.

Mr. Liddell did not rise from the easy-chair in which he sat crouched
together, his thin gray locks escaping as usual from under the
skull-cap, his long lean brown hands grasping t