of play hath been condoned over
and over again in gentlemen of our rank. Having heartily forgiven my
brother, surely I cannot presume to be your lordship's judge in the
matter; and instead of playing and losing, I wish sincerely that you had
both played and won!"

"So do I, with all my heart!" says my lord with a sigh. "I augur
well for your goodness when you can speak in this way, and for your
experience and knowledge of the world, too, cousin, of which you seem to
possess a greater share than most young men of your age. Your poor Harry
hath the best heart in the world; but I doubt whether his head be very
strong."

"Not very strong, indeed. But he hath the art to make friends wherever
he goes, and in spite of all his imprudences most people love him."

"I do--we all do, I'm sure! as if he were our brother!" cries my lord.

"He has often described in his letters his welcome at your lordship's
house. My mother keeps them all, you may be sure. Harry's style is not
very learned, but his heart is so good, that to read him is better than
wit."

"I may be mistaken, but I fancy his brother possesses a good heart and a
good wit, too!" says my lord, obstinately gracious.

"I am as Heaven made me, cousin; and perhaps some more experience and
sorrow than has fallen to the lot of most young men."

"This misfortune of your poor brother--I mean this piece of good
fortune, your sudden reappearance--has not quite left Harry without
resources?" continued Lord Castlewood, very gently.

"With nothing but what his mother can leave him, or I, at her death,
can spare him. What is the usual portion here of a younger brother, my
lord?"

"Eh! a younger brother here is--you know--in fine, everybody knows what
a younger brother is," said my lord, and shrugged his shoulders and
looked his guest in the face.

The other went on: "We are the best of friends, but we are flesh and
blood: and I don't pretend to do more for him than is usually done for
younger brothers. Why give him money? That he should squander it at
cards or horse-racing? My lord, we have cards and jockeys in Virginia,
too; and my poor Harry hath distinguished himself in his own country
already, before he came to yours. He inherits the family failing for
dissipation."

"Poor fellow, poor fellow, I pity him!"

"Our estate, you see, is great, but our income is small. We have little
more money than that which we get from England for our tobacco--and very
little of that