t it. I
shall go to see him, of course.'

'Your great-uncle! That is, Mr. Dallas's own uncle?'

'No, my mother's. His name is Strahan.'

'And then you are going to Oxford? Why do you go there? Are not the
colleges in America just as good?'

'I can tell better after I've seen Oxford. But no, Queen Esther; that
is larger and older and richer than any college in America can be;
indeed it is a cluster of colleges--it is a University.'

'Will you study in them all?'

'No,' said Pitt, laughing, 'not exactly! But it is a fine place, by all
accounts--a noble place. And then, you know, we are English, and my
father and mother wish me to be as English as possible. That is
natural.'

'We are English too,' said Esther, sighing.

'Therefore you ought to be glad I am going.'

But Esther's cheek only grew a shade paler.

'Will you keep up your studies, like a good girl?'

'I will try.'

'And send me a drawing now and then, to let me see how you are getting
on?'

She lifted her eyes to him again, for one of those grave, appealing
looks. 'How could I get it to you?'

'Your father will have my address. I shall write to him, and I shall
write to you.'

She made no answer. The things filling her heart were too many for it,
and too strong; there came no tears, but her breathing was laboured;
and her brow was dark with what seemed a mountain of oppression. Pitt
was half-glad that just now there came a call for Esther from the room
behind them. Both went in. The colonel wanted Esther to search in a
repository of papers for a certain English print of some months back.

'Well, my boy,' said he, 'are you off?'

'Just off, sir,' said Pitt, eyeing the little figure that was busy in
the corner among the papers. It gave him more pain than he had thought
to leave it. 'I wish you would come over, colonel. Why shouldn't you?
It would do you good. I mean, when there is peace again upon the high
seas.'

'I shall never leave this place again till I leave all that is
earthly,' Colonel Gainsborough answered.

'May I take the liberty sometimes of writing to you, sir?'

'I should like it very much, William.'

'And if I find anything that would amuse Esther, sir, may I tell her
about it?'

'I have no objection. She will be very much obliged to you. So you are
going? Heaven be with you, my boy. You have lightened many an hour for
me.'

He rose up and shook Pitt's hand, with a warm grasp and a dignified
manner of leave-taking. Bu