pleasant hope in his heart.

CHAPTER X

ROBERTA INTERFERES

Small service is true service while it lasts.

He that maketh haste to be rich shall not be innocent.

Nearly two years had passed since James Ruleson's death, and Christine
was facing an embarrassing condition. She was nearly without money.
During the severe illness which followed her husband's death, Margot
had entrusted all she had to Christine, except the sum she had
retained for her own burial; and Christine knew this was a provision
all Culraine women regarded as a sacred duty. To break into this sum
would be a serious, perhaps a dangerous, trial to Margot. However,
there was the ninety pounds that Neil had borrowed from her, and never
repaid. Now she must apply for it, must indeed urge its immediate
return, and she wrote her brother the following letter:

DEAR NEIL,

We are in a sair strait. I am nearly without money, and Mither has
none left but her burial siller, and you know it will nearly kill
her to break into that. I would not ask you to pay me the ninety
pounds you owe me, if there was any other way I could do. I would
go out and sell fish, before I would trouble you. But surely it
will not be hurting you any way now, to pay ninety pounds. Jim
Carnagie was telling me that you were doing a well-paying
business. Dear Neil, it is for your mither! She pleaded for you to
have your own will and wish all your life long. I need not remind
you of all her thoughtfulness for your comfort, while you were at
the Maraschal. She is dying, a cruel, hard, long death. I cannot,
no, I cannot, trouble her last days anent the siller she needs for
food to keep her in life, and for medicines to soothe her great
pain. Neil, I have always loved and helped you. I was glad when
Miss Rath took to you kindly, for I knew you had to have some
woman to look after your special ways and likings. Tell her the
truth, and I am sure she will not oppose your paying such a just
debt. Neil, answer me at once. Do not think about it, and delay
and delay. You know, dear Neil, it is getting on the fourth year,
since I loaned you it, and you promised to pay me out of the first
money you earned. I think, dear, you will now pay me as lovingly
as I let you have it when you needed it so badly.

Mither does not know I am writing you, or even that we need money,
so haste to make me more easy, for I am full of trouble and
a