e
wrote piteous letters, entreating them to come to Brogden, where she
had made every arrangement for their comfort, even relinquishing her own
dressing-room. They bade farewell to Wrangerton, Arthur assuring Mrs.
Moss that he would soon bring Violet back again; and Mrs. Moss and
Violet agreeing that they were grateful for their happy meeting, and
would not be too sorry were the delightful vision not to be fulfilled.

At the beginning of their journey, Arthur's talk was all of the horses
at Lassonthwayte and the friendship that would soon be struck up between
Percy and Mr. Hunt. The railway passed by the village of Worthbourne,
and he called Violet to look out at what might yet be Theodora's home.

'For the sake of John and Helen too,' said Violet; while the children,
eager for anything approaching to a sight, peeped out at the window, and
exclaimed that there was a flag flying on the top of the church steeple.

'The village wake, I suppose,' said Arthur. 'Ha! Helen, we will surprise
Uncle Percy by knowing all about it!'

At the halt at the Worthbourne station, he accordingly put out his head
to ask the meaning of the flag.

'It is for the son and heir, sir. Old Sir Antony's grandson.'

Arthur drew in his head faster than he had put it out, making mutterings
to himself that a good deal surprised the children. After their long
pleasuring, Cadogan-place looked dingy, and Violet as she went up to the
drawing-room in the gray twilight, could not help being glad that only
three months of Arthur's sick leave had expired, and that they were
to be there for no more than one night. In spite of many precious
associations, she could not love a London house, and the Lassonthwayte
cottage seemed the prettier in remembrance.

Arthur had fetched his papers, and had been sitting thoughtful for some
time after Johnnie had gone to bed, when he suddenly looked up and said,
'Violet, would it be a great vexation to you if we gave up this scheme?'

'Don't think of me. I always thought you might view it differently from
a distance.'

'It is not that,' said Arthur; 'I never liked any one better than Hunt,
and it is nine if not ten miles from the town. But, Violet, I find we
are in worse plight than I thought. Here are bills that must be renewed,
and one or two things I had forgotten, and while I owe the money and
more too, I could hardly in honesty speculate with the price of my
commission.'

'No!--oh! You could never be comfortable