er presence, and was never weary of devising a thousand methods of
surprising and pleasing her. Every morning ere the McIntyre family were
afoot a great bouquet of strange and beautiful flowers was brought
down by a footman from the Hall to brighten their breakfast-table. Her
slightest wish, however fantastic, was instantly satisfied, if human
money or ingenuity could do it. When the frost lasted a stream was
dammed and turned from its course that it might flood two meadows,
solely in order that she might have a place upon which to skate. With
the thaw there came a groom every afternoon with a sleek and beautiful
mare in case Miss McIntyre should care to ride. Everything went to show
that she had made a conquest of the recluse of the New Hall.

And she on her side played her part admirably. With female adaptiveness
she fell in with his humour, and looked at the world through his eyes.
Her talk was of almshouses and free libraries, of charities and of
improvements. He had never a scheme to which she could not add some
detail making it more complete and more effective. To Haw it seemed that
at last he had met a mind which was in absolute affinity with his own.
Here was a help-mate, who could not only follow, but even lead him in
the path which he had chosen.

Neither Robert nor his father could fail to see what was going forward,
but to the latter nothing could possibly be more acceptable than a
family tie which should connect him, however indirectly, with a man of
vast fortune. The glamour of the gold bags had crept over Robert also,
and froze the remonstrance upon his lips. It was very pleasant to have
the handling of all this wealth, even as a mere agent. Why should he
do or say what might disturb their present happy relations? It was his
sister's business, not his; and as to Hector Spurling, he must take his
chance as other men did. It was obviously best not to move one way or
the other in the matter.

But to Robert himself, his work and his surroundings were becoming more
and more irksome. His joy in his art had become less keen since he had
known Raffles Haw. It seemed so hard to toll and slave to earn such a
trifling sum, when money could really be had for the asking. It was true
that he had asked for none, but large sums were for ever passing through
his hands for those who were needy, and if he were needy himself his
friend would surely not grudge it to him. So the Roman galleys still
remained faintly outlined