. These I shall move shortly to
your home, my child. My good friend says that it is hard by his
house, so the journey will not be a difficult one."

"No, father," answered Gertrude, with glowing cheeks. "And who has
bought the old Bridge house?"

"Nay, I have not even had the heart to ask. My good friend has
carried out the business for me from first to last. He has been the
truest friend man ever had. I have had naught to do but to sign the
papers and receive the purchase money. No doubt the pang of seeing
others living there will pass in time, but just now I care not even
to think of it."

Gertrude's face was still glowing a rosy red, but she turned the
conversation at once.

"And thou art getting together a little business again, father, on
the Southwark side of the river?"

"Yes; that again is by the advice of our good neighbour. He showed
me that I could no longer afford the large buildings in the Chepe.
He heard of these small premises going a-begging for a purchaser,
all connected with them having perished in the plague. The small
sum left to me of the purchase money of the house, after my debts
were paid, sufficed to buy them; and now I have two steady workmen
in my employ, instead of the scores I once had. But God be thanked,
we have never been idle all these weeks. And it may be that
by-and-by, as confidence returns, I may get something of a business
together again."

"Thou hast been purifying and disinfecting houses, they say, for
the wealthy ones of the city?"

"Ay; that was our good friend's thought. The Lord Mayor and
authorities issued general directions for this work; and Harmer
suggested to me that I should print handbills offering to undertake
the purging of any house entrusted to me for a fixed fee. This I
did, and have had my hands full ever since. All the fine folks are
crowding back now that the cold weather has come, but no one cares
to venture within his house till it has been purified by the
burning of aromatic drugs and spices. The rich care not what they
spend, so that they are sure they are free from danger. As for the
poor, they do but burn tar or pitch or sulphur; and methinks these
do just as well, save that the odour which hangs about is not so
grateful to the senses. Yes, it was a happy thought of good James
Harmer, and has put money in my pocket enough to enable me to
undertake small building matters without borrowing. But I trow it
will be long ere any building is wanted in