The famous garden was dismantled now and Job Legg spent some daily hours
in digging there. To-morrow Job was to hear what Mrs. Northover had to
say concerning his proposal, and, meantime, the pending decision neither
unsettled him nor interfered with his usual placidity and enterprise.

Nelly Northover herself waited upon the engaged couple. She was somewhat
abstracted with her own thoughts, but so far banished them that she
could show and feel interest in the visitors. Raymond described the
house, and Sabina, glad to see Raymond in a cheerful mood, expatiated on
the charms of her future home.

They delayed somewhat longer than Mrs. Northover expected and she left
them presently, for she had an appointment bearing on the supreme
subject of her offer of marriage. Mrs. Northover was, in fact, going to
take another opinion. Such indecision seemed foreign to her character,
which seldom found her in two minds; but it happened that upon one
judgment she had often relied since her husband's death and, before the
great problem at present challenging Nelly, she believed another view
might largely assist her. That she could not decide herself, she felt
to be very significant. The fact made her cautious and anxious.

She put on her bonnet now, left a maid to settle with the customers and
presently stepped across the road to 'The Tiger,' for it was Richard
Gurd in whom Mrs. Northover put her trust. She designed to place Job's
offer before her friend and invite a candid and unprejudiced criticism.
For so doing more reasons than one may have existed; we seldom seek the
judgment of a friend without mixed motives; but, at any rate, Nelly
believed very thoroughly in her neighbour, and if, in reality, it was as
much a wish that he should know what had happened, as a desire to learn
his opinion upon it, she none the less felt that opinion would be
precious and probably decide her.

Richard was waiting in his office--a small apartment off the bar, to
which none had access save himself.

"Come in here and we shan't be disturbed," he said. "Of course, when you
tell me you want my advice on a matter of the greatest importance, all
else has to stand by. My old friend's wife has a right to come to me, I
should hope, and I'm glad you've done so. Sit here by the fire."

It did not take Mrs. Northover long to relate the situation, nor was Mr.
Gurd much puzzled to declare his view. In brief words she told him of
Job Legg's greatly increased pr