e showed sad neglect. Your wife's visit to my niece, through
a mere accident, has recalled her to our memory, and I come here
to-night to say that we are willing, willing and anxious, to repay that
neglect, and to settle on your wife the sum of three thousand pounds;
that sum to be hers unconditionally, to do what she pleases with."

When Jasper ceased to speak, Mr. Home was quite silent for a moment,
then he said, "My wife is away at present. I would rather not trouble
her with money matters during her short holiday. When she returns I will
tell her what you say and communicate to you the result."

There was neither exultation nor annoyance in the quiet manner in which
these few words were spoken. Uncle Jasper found it impossible to
understand this man. He spoke as indifferently as if three thousand
pounds were nothing to him and yet, to judge from appearances, his whole
yearly income seemed hardly to represent the interest on so much
capital. Did this quiet manner but hide deep designs? Jasper Harman
fidgeted in his chair as this thought occurred to him.

"There is just one thing more to add," he said. "I will leave you my
club address. Kindly communicate with me there. I should like, while
carrying out my elder brother's wish, to act entirely on it without
troubling him in any way. He is, I am sorry to say, very ill, so ill
that the least, the very least, agitation is dangerous to him. He feels
with me the unintentional injustice done to your wife, but he cannot
bear the subject alluded to.

"Would it not rather be an ease to his mind to feel that what he looks
on and perhaps dwells on as a sin has been expiated, as far as his own
earthly act can expiate it?" inquired the clergyman gently.

"He shall know it, but from my lips. I should like him best to hear it
from me," said Jasper Harman.

A few moments after, he went away, Mr. Home accompanying him to the hall
door. The strong light of the gas lamp fell on his ruddy face and sandy
hair. He bade his host good-bye, and hurried down the street, never
observing that a man, much larger and much rougher than himself, was
bearing down upon him. It was raining, and the large man had an umbrella
up. The two came full tilt against each other. Jasper felt his breath
taken away, and could only gasp out a word of remonstrance and apology.

But the other, in a full, round, cheery voice, replied, "I'm home from
the Colonies, stranger--you need not mention a tiff like that t