no doubt been the probability of the
accession to the title of her own son through the demise of his elder
brother! She understood now all her own folly, and something of her
own wickedness. To this second appeal she wrote a short answer,
having laid awake over it one entire night.

DEAR MR. GREENWOOD--I have spoken to the Marquis, and he
will do nothing.

Yours truly,

C. KINGSBURY.

This she did without saying a word to her husband.

Then, after the interval of a few days, there came a third letter.

MY DEAR LADY KINGSBURY,--

I cannot allow myself to think that this should be the
end of it all, after so many years of social intimacy and
confidential intercourse. Can you yourself imagine the
condition of a gentleman of my age reduced after a life of
ease and comfort to exist on a miserable pension of L200 a
year? It simply means death,--death! Have I not a right to
expect something better after the devotion of a life?

Who has known as well as I the stumbling-blocks to
your ladyship's ambition which have been found in the
existences of Lord Hampstead and Lady Frances Trafford?
I have sympathized with you no doubt,--partly because of
their peculiarities, partly from sincere affection for
your ladyship. It cannot surely be that your ladyship
should now treat me as an enemy because I could do no more
than sympathize!

Dig I cannot. To beg I am ashamed. You will hardly wish
that I should perish from want. I have not as yet been
driven to open out my sad case to any one but yourself.
Do not force me to it,--for the sake of those darling
children for whose welfare I have ever been so anxious.

Believe me to be,
Your ladyship's most devoted and faithful friend,

THOMAS GREENWOOD.

This epistle so frightened her that she began to consider how she
might best collect together a sufficient sum of money to satisfy
the man. She did succeed in sending him a note for L50. But this
he was too wary to take. He returned it, saying that he could not,
though steeped in poverty, accept chance eleemosynary aid. What he
required.--and had he thought a right to ask,--was an increase to the
fixed stipend allowed him. He must, he thought, again force himself
upon the presence of the Marquis, and explain the nature of the
demand more explicitly.

Upon this Lady Kingsbury showed all the letters to her husband. "What
does he mean by s