ssal in every uneasy glance of
his little eyes.

"I am afraid," said I, "that that is rather further than I am prepared
to go. I think that since there has been for some weeks a certain
friction between Lady Saltire and myself, it would perhaps be as well
that I should resign the post which I hold in your household. I shall
be happy, however, to remain here until you have found some one to take
over my duties."

"Well, I am sorry it has come to this, and yet it may be that you are
right," said he, with an expression of relief; "as to James, there need
be no difficulty about that, for Dr. Patterson could come in tomorrow
morning."

"Then to-morrow morning let it be," I answered.

"Very good, Dr. Munro; I will see that you have your cheque before you
go."

So there was the end of all my fine dreams about aristocratic practices
and wonderful introductions! I believe the only person in the whole
house who regretted me was Jimmy, who was quite downcast at the news.
His grief, however, did not prevent him from brushing my new top-hat
the wrong way on the morning that I left. I did not notice it until I
reached the station, and a most undignified object I must have looked
when I took my departure.

So ends the history of a failure. I am, as you know, inclined to
fatalism, and do not believe that such a thing as chance exists; so I am
bound to think that this experience was given to me for some end. It
was a preliminary canter for the big race, perhaps. My mother was
disappointed, but tried to show it as little as possible. My father
was a little sardonic over the matter. I fear that the gap between us
widens. By the way, an extraordinary card arrived from Cullingworth
during my absence. "You are my man," said he; "mind that I am to have
you when I want you." There was no date and no address, but the postmark
was Bradfield in the north of England. Does it mean nothing? Or may it
mean everything? We must wait and see.

Good-bye, old man. Let me hear equally fully about your own affairs. How
did the Rattray business go off?

V. MERTON ON THE MOORS, 5th March, 1882.

I was so delighted, my dear chap, to have your assurance that nothing
that I have said or could say upon the subject of religion could offend
you. It is difficult to tell you how pleased and relieved I was at your
cordial letter. I have no one to whom I can talk upon such matters. I
am all driven inwards, and thought turns sour when one lets it