oubt that
the circumstances of Captain Sankey's death would be considered as an
addition to the claim of his services in the army.

Captain Sankey had intended that Ned should have gone to a superior
school to finish his education, but the diminished income of the family
had put this out of the question, and the subject had never been
mooted after his death. Ned, however, felt that he was making such good
progress under Mr. Porson that he was well content to remain where he
was.

His struggle with his temper had gone on steadily, and he hoped he
had won a final victory over it. Mr. Porson had been unwearied in his
kindnesses, and often took Ned for an hour in the evening in order to
push him forward, and although he avoided talking about his home life
the boy felt that he could, in case of need, pour out his heart to him;
but, indeed, things had gone better at home. Mrs. Sankey was just
as indisposed as ever to take any share whatever in the trouble of
housekeeping, but as Abijah was perfectly capable of keeping the house
in order without her instructions things went on smoothly and straightly
in this respect.

In other matters home life was more pleasant than it had been. Mrs.
Sankey was less given to querulous complaining, more inclined to see
things in a cheerful light, and Ned especially noticed with satisfaction
that the references to his father which had so tried him had become much
less frequent of late.

One day in September, when his father had been dead just a year, one
of the town boys, a lad of about Ned's age, said to him as they were
walking home from school together:

"Well, Ned, I suppose I ought to congratulate you, although I don't know
whether you will see it in that light."

"What do you mean?" Ned said. "I don't know that anything has happened
on which I should be particularly congratulated, except on having made
the top score against the town last week."

"Oh! I don't mean that," the boy said.. "I mean about Mulready."

"What do you mean?" Ned said, stopping short and turning very white.

"Why," the lad said laughing, "all the town says he is going to marry
your mother."

Ned stood as if stupefied. Then he sprang upon his companion and seized
him by the throat.

"It's a lie," he shouted, shaking him furiously. "It's a lie I say,
Smithers, and you know it. I will kill you if you don't say it's a lie."

With a great effort Smithers extricated himself from Ned's grasp.

"Don't choke a