heartless.

She had a little scheme of her own,--a plan arranged for the saying
of a few words to her cousin on the earliest opportunity of their
being alone together,--and she contrived that this should take place
within half an hour after his arrival, as he went through the hall
up to his room. "Mr. Belton," she said, "I'm sure you will not take
it amiss if I take a cousin's privilege at once and explain to you
something of our way of living here. My dear father is not very
strong."

"He is much altered since I saw him last."

"Oh, yes. Think of all that he has had to bear! Well, Mr. Belton,
the fact is, that we are not so well off as we used to be, and are
obliged to live in a very quiet way. You will not mind that?"

"Who? I?"

"I take it very kind of you, your coming all this way to see us--"

"I'd have come three times the distance."

"But you must put up with us as you find us, you know. The truth is
we are very poor."

"Well, now;--that's just what I wanted to know. One couldn't write
and ask such a question; but I was sure I should find out if I came."

"You've found it out already, you see."

"As for being poor, it's a thing I don't think very much about,--not
for young people. But it isn't comfortable when a man gets old. Now
what I want to know is this; can't something be done?"

"The only thing to do is to be very kind to him. He has had to let
the park to Mr. Stovey, and he doesn't like talking about it."

"But if it isn't talked about, how can it be mended?"

"It can't be mended."

"We'll see about that. But I'll be kind to him; you see if I ain't.
And I'll tell you what, I'll be kind to you too, if you'll let me.
You have got no brother now."

"No," said Clara; "I have got no brother now." Belton was looking
full into her face, and saw that her eyes had become clouded with
tears.

"I will be your brother," said he. "You see if I don't. When I say
a thing I mean it. I will be your brother." And he took her hand,
caressing it, and showing her that he was not in the least afraid
of her. He was blunt in his bearing, saying things which her father
would have called indelicate and heartless, as though they gave
him no effort, and placing himself at once almost in a position of
ascendency. This Clara had not intended. She had thought that her
farmer cousin, in spite of the superiority of his prospects as heir
to the property, would have acceded to her little hints with silent
acquiescence