ery
squire and shepherd between Duddon and Esk and Windermere. Stephen came
to his own, and they received him with open arms. But for Julius, there
was not a "seat" in the Dales, nor a cottage on the fells, no, nor a
chair in any of the local inns, where he was welcome. He stood his
social excommunication longer than could have been expected; and, even
at the end, his surrender was forced from him by the want of money, and
the never-ceasing laments of Sophia. She was clever enough to understand
from the first, that fighting the case was simply "indulging Julius in
his temper;" and she did not see the wisdom of spending what little
money they had in such a gratification.

"You have been caught in your own trap, Julius," she said aggravatingly.
"Very clever people often are. It is folly to struggle. You had better
ask Stephen to pay you back the ten thousand pounds. I think he ought to
do that. It is only common honesty."

But Stephen had not the same idea of common honesty as Sophia had. He
referred Julius to Harry.

"Harry, indeed! Harry who is in New York making ducks and drakes of your
money, Julius,--trying to buy shares and things that he knows no more of
than he knows of Greek. It's a shame!" and Sophia burst into some
genuine tears over the reflection.

Still the idea, on a less extravagant basis, seemed possible to Steve.
He began to think that it would be better to compromise matters with the
Julius Sandals; better to lose a thousand pounds, or even two thousand
pounds, if, by doing so, he could at once restore Mrs. Sandal and
Charlotte to their home. And he was on the point of making a proposition
of this kind, when it was discovered that Julius and his wife had
silently taken their departure.

"It is a hopeless fight against destiny," said Julius. "When the purse
is empty, any cause is weak. I have barely money to take us to Calcutta,
Sophia. It is very disagreeable to go there, of course; but my father
advised this step, and I shall remind him of it. He ought, therefore, to
re-arrange my future. It is hard enough for me to have lost so much
time carrying out his plans. And I should write a letter to your mother
before you go, if I were you, Sophia. It is your duty. She ought to have
her cruel behavior to you pointed out to her."

Sophia did her duty. She wrote a very clever letter, which really did
make both her mother and sister wretchedly uncomfortable. Charlotte held
it in her hand with a heartache,