hat quarter of York since the
night of his expulsion, and he did not know why of all places he should
just now turn thither. His guardian, as he well knew, was even more
pitiless and cynical than ever, and any hope of finding shelter or rest
under his roof he knew to be absurd. He might, however, be out; indeed,
he had spoken of going to America, in which case Mrs Jessop might be
there alone.

One clings to the idea of a home; and this place, such as it was, was
the only place which for Jeffreys had ever had any pretensions to the
blessed name. His expectations--if he had any--vanished as he abruptly
turned the corner of the street and stood in front of the house. The
shutters on the lower floor were closed, and the windows above were
curtainless and begrimed with dust. A notice "To let," stared out from
a board beside the front door, and the once cosy little front garden was
weed-grown and run to seed.

Jeffreys felt a stronger man as he walked out of York in the deepening
twilight. He was in the way of old associations just now, for almost
without knowing it he found himself quitting York by way of Ash Lane,
every step of which by this time was familiar--painfully familiar
ground. The bank on which he had last found Jonah's knife had now new
attractions for him. Not so a garden shed, by the back of which he
passed, and whence proceeded the glimmer of a light, and the sound of
boys' voices.

He could not help standing a moment, and motioning Julius close to his
heels, listening.

"It's broken worse than ever now," said Freddy. "It's no use trying to
mend it."

"Jeff could have done it. I say, Freddy, whatever did father mean?"

"I don't know. All I know is I'll never forget dear old Jeff; shall
you?"

"Rather not. I'm going to pray for him once a day, Freddy."

"All serene--so shall I."

Jeffreys stole one hurried glance through the cracked timbers, and then
walked away quickly and with a heart brim full.

Whenever in after days his soul needed music, he had only to call up the
voices of those two little fellows in the shed as he last heard them.
Little heeded they what came of their childish words. Little heeded
they that they were helping to make a true man of the Jeff they loved,
and that whatever true strength he came to possess for fighting life's
battles and bearing life's burdens, he owed it beyond any one to them!

He walked on rapidly and steadily for two hours, until the last
linge