my belief we shall lose her, as well as house and
home."

The false Thomas Leicester let them run on, in dogged silence; but every
word was a stab.

And one day, when he had been baited sore with hints, he turned round on
them fiercely, and said: "Did I get you into this mess? It's all your
own doing. Learn to see your own faults, and not be so hard on one that
has been the best servant you ever had, gentleman or not."

Men can resist the remonstrances that wound them, and so irritate them,
better than they can those gentle appeals that rouse no anger, but
soften the whole heart. The old people stung him; but Mercy, without
design, took a surer way. She never said a word; but sometimes, when the
discussions were at their height, she turned her dove-like eyes on him,
with a look so loving, so humbly inquiring, so timidly imploring, that
his heart melted within him.

Ah, that is a true touch of nature and genuine observation of the sexes,
in the old song,--

"My feyther urged me sair;
My mither didna speak;
But she looked me in the face,
Till my hairt was like to break."

These silent, womanly, imploring looks of patient Mercy were mightier
than argument or invective.

The man knew all along where to get money, and how to get it. He had
only to go to Hernshaw Castle. But his very soul shuddered at the idea.
However, for Mercy's sake, he took the first step; he compelled himself
to look the thing in the face, and discuss it with himself. A few months
ago he could not have done even this,--he loved his lawful wife too
much; hated her too much. But now, Mercy and Time had blunted both those
passions; and he could ask himself whether he could not encounter Kate
and her priest without any very violent emotion.

When they first set up house together, he had spent his whole fortune, a
sum of two thousand pounds, on repairing and embellishing Hernshaw
Castle and grounds. Since she had driven him out of the house, he had a
clear right to have back the money; and he now resolved he would have
it; but what he wanted was to get it without going to the place in
person.

And now Mercy's figure, as well as her imploring looks, moved him
greatly. She was in that condition which appeals to a man's humanity and
masculine pity, as well as to his affection. To use the homely words of
Scripture, she was great with child, and in that condition moved slowly
about him, filling his pipe, and laying his slippers,