ll, as he watched her,
felt assured that his uncle Jonathan's money would never come in
his way, or in the way of his children. But he was a man used to
disappointment, and he bore this with mild sufferance.

Then he explained to her the business about which he had specially
come to her. She had entrusted him with certain arrangements as to
a portion of her property, and he came to tell her that a certain
railway company wanted some houses which belonged to her, and that by
Act of Parliament she was obliged to sell them.

"But the Act of Parliament will make the railway company pay for
them, won't it, John?"

Then he went on to explain to her that she was in luck's way, "as
usual," said the poor fellow, thinking of his own misfortunes, and
that she would greatly increase her income by the sale. Indeed, it
seemed to her that she would regain pretty nearly all she had lost by
the loan to Rubb and Mackenzie. "How very singular," thought she to
herself. Under these circumstances, it might, after all, be possible
that she should marry Mr Maguire, if she wished it.

When Mr Ball had told his business he did not stay much longer. He
said no word of his own hopes, if hopes they could be called any
longer. As he left her, he just referred to what had passed between
them. "This is no time, Margaret," said he, "to ask you whether you
have changed your mind?"

"No, John; there are other things to think of now; are there not?
And, besides, they will want here all that I can do for them."

She spoke to him with an express conviction that what was wanted of
her by him, as well as by others, was her money, and it did not occur
to him to contradict her.

"He might have asked to see me, I do think," said Mrs Tom, when John
Ball was gone. "But there always was an upsetting pride about those
people at the Cedars which I never could endure. And they are as poor
as church mice. When poverty and pride go together I do detest them.
I suppose he came to find out all about us, but I hope you told him
nothing."

To all this Miss Mackenzie made no answer at all.

CHAPTER XV

The Tearing of the Verses

Things went on in Gower Street for three or four weeks in the
same way, and then Susanna was fetched home from Littlebath. Miss
Mackenzie would have gone down herself but that she was averse to see
Mr Maguire. She therefore kept on her Littlebath lodgings, though Mrs
Tom said much to her of the wasteful extravagance in doing so