st arrived from Canady with her fortune--ha,
ha! I wish no harm to the gennleman, and the gennleman will wish no harm
to me. But I like to take my place in the family, and stand upon my
rights, and lower people's pride!'

'You've succeeded already! Where's that woman you took with you--'

'Woman! She was my wife as lawful as the Constitution--a sight more
lawful than your mother was till some time after you were born!'

Joshua had for many years before heard whispers that his father had
cajoled his mother in their early acquaintance, and had made somewhat
tardy amends; but never from his father's lips till now. It was the last
stroke, and he could not bear it. He sank back against the hedge. 'It
is over!' he said. 'He ruins us all!'

The millwright moved on, waving his stick triumphantly, and the two
brothers stood still. They could see his drab figure stalking along the
path, and over his head the lights from the conservatory of Narrobourne
House, inside which Albert Fellmer might possibly be sitting with Rosa at
that moment, holding her hand, and asking her to share his home with him.

The staggering whitey-brown form, advancing to put a blot on all this,
had been diminishing in the shade; and now suddenly disappeared beside a
weir. There was the noise of a flounce in the water.

'He has fallen in!' said Cornelius, starting forward to run for the place
at which his father had vanished.

Joshua, awaking from the stupefied reverie into which he had sunk, rushed
to the other's side before he had taken ten steps. 'Stop, stop, what are
you thinking of?' he whispered hoarsely, grasping Cornelius's arm.

'Pulling him out!'

'Yes, yes--so am I. But--wait a moment--'

'But, Joshua!'

'Her life and happiness, you know--Cornelius--and your reputation and
mine--and our chance of rising together, all three--'

He clutched his brother's arm to the bone; and as they stood breathless
the splashing and floundering in the weir continued; over it they saw the
hopeful lights from the manor-house conservatory winking through the
trees as their bare branches waved to and fro.

The floundering and splashing grew weaker, and they could hear gurgling
words: 'Help--I'm drownded! Rosie--Rosie!'

'We'll go--we must save him. O Joshua!'

'Yes, yes! we must!'

Still they did not move, but waited, holding each other, each thinking
the same thought. Weights of lead seemed to be affixed to their feet,
which would no