they went more wrong than ever; and then came the
temptation, and we were able to make everything right by giving up
the title-deeds of the premises. That's how it was, and it was I that
did it. It wasn't your brother; and though you may forgive me, he
won't."

This was all true, but how far the truth should be taken towards
palliating the deed done, I must leave the reader to decide; and the
reader will doubtless perceive that the truth did not appear until
Mr Rubb had ascertained that its appearance would not injure him. I
think, however, that it came from his heart, and that it should count
for something in his favour. The tear which he rubbed from his eye
with his hand counted very much in his favour with Miss Mackenzie;
she had not only forgiven him now, but she almost loved him for
having given her something to forgive. With many women I doubt
whether there be any more effectual way of touching their hearts
than ill-using them and then confessing it. If you wish to get the
sweetest fragrance from the herb at your feet, tread on it and bruise
it.

She had forgiven him, and taken him absolutely into favour, and he
had kissed her hand, having all but embraced her as he did so; but
on the present occasion he did not get beyond that. He lacked the
audacity to proceed at once from the acknowledgment of his fault to
a declaration of his love; but I hardly think that he would have
injured himself had he done so. He should have struck while the iron
was hot, and it was heated now nearly to melting; but he was abashed
by his own position, and having something real in his heart, having
some remnant of generous feeling left about him, he could not make
such progress as he might have done had he been cool enough to
calculate all his advantages.

"Don't let it trouble you any more," Miss Mackenzie said, when he had
dropped her hand.

"But it does trouble me, and it will trouble me."

"No," she said, with energy, "it shall not; let there be an end of
it. I will write to Tom, and tell him that he is welcome to the
money. Isn't he my brother? You are both welcome to it. If it has
been of service to you, I am very happy that it should be so. And
now, Mr Rubb, if you please, we won't have another word about it."

"What am I to say?"

"Not another word."

It seemed as though he couldn't speak another word, for he went to
the window and stood there silently, looking into the street. As he
did so, there came another visito