with Jane; but her
letters were so cheerful, she seemed so busy and hopeful, she saw so
many people, and appeared to be so much appreciated by Mr. Phillips and
by all his family, that he had no hope of her allowing him to make the
sacrifice he longed to make, and he thought he must try to accustom
himself to look on her as lost to him.

"I have been busy," said he, "but I do not attempt to excuse myself by
such a reason. I have not given you answers at all worthy of your
letters."

"I have always thought that it is considered the great art in a
gentleman's letter that he should put a great deal of matter in few
words, while a lady piques herself on making an excellent letter out of
nothing. If your letters were shorter than mine, they were not, on that
account, unsatisfactory," said Jane.

"Your observation of character and manners is so much more acute than
mine, that you can see and hear nothing which you cannot photograph
faithfully, and make an interesting picture of, and you seem to have
interesting people to write about," said Francis.

"I do not think that if I had been at Cross Hall, and you in London, my
letters would have been the longest. Our old neighbours were very
uninteresting--do you not find them so?"

"All except Miss Thomson, whose acquaintance I have recently made, and
who has enough of originality and goodness about her to give some salt
to the district. She is much interested in both of you; especially in
Elsie, whom she saw at Mrs. Dunn's, and got to make something for her,
which has given the greatest satisfaction."

"I must tell this to Elsie," said Jane; "she needs a little praise, and
it does her good."

"But I want first to consult you about a letter I received the day
before I left home," said Francis. This was his excuse for exposing
himself to Jane's influence again. The thing might have been done by
letter, but he scarcely though it could be so well done; so he had
first seen Mr. McFarlane in Edinburgh, and then hastened to London to
ask the advice of the dearest friend he had in the world on the subject
of this ill-written and ill-expressed letter. It ran as follows:

"Melbourne, 20th April, 185-.

"My Dear Son Frank,

"I have heard that you are come into the property at last. I knew he
could not keep it from you, though he wanted to, for you was the hair,
and had the rights to get it. I hope you will not forget a mother that
has always remembered you, though I was forced