accept Tony as his equal in all things,
and it was more than flattery to fancy her dear boy mingling in the
pleasures and fascinations of the great world, courted and admired, as
she could imagine he would be; but there were still drawbacks to all
these. The position was that of a dependant; and how would Tony figure
in such a post? He was the finest-tempered, most generous creature in
the world, where no attempt to overbear interfered; but any show of
offensive superiority would make a tiger of him.

"Well, well," thought she, "it's not to be rejected all at once, and I
'll just talk it over with the minister." "May I consult an old friend
and neighbor of mine, sir, before I speak to Tony himself?" said she,
timidly.

"By all means, madam; or, if you like it better, let me call on him, and
enter more fully into my plan than I have ventured to do with you."

"No, thank you, sir. I 'll just talk the matter over with the doctor,
and I 'll see what he says to it all. This seems a very ungracious way
to meet your great kindness, sir; but I was thinking of what awhile
ago you called my deposit, and so it is,--it's all the wealth I
possess,--and even the thought of resigning it is more than I can bear."

"I hope to convince you one of these days, madam, that you have not
invested unprofitably;" and with many courteous assurances that, decide
how she might, his desire to serve her should remain, he took his leave,
bequeathing, as he passed out, a glow of hope to the poor widow's heart,
not the less cheering that she could not freely justify nor even define
it.

CHAPTER XIII. TONY IN TOWN

Day followed day, and Tony Butler heard nothing from the Minister. He
went down each morning to Downing Street, and interrogated the austere
doorkeeper, till at length there grew up between that grim official and
himself a state of feeling little short of hatred.

"No letter?" would say Tony.

"Look in the rack," was the answer.

"Is this sort of thing usual?"

"What sort of thing?"

"The getting no reply for a week or eight days?"

"I should say it is very usual with certain people."

"What do you mean by certain people?"

"Well, the people that don't have answers to the letters, nor ain't
likely to have them."

"Might I ask you another question?" said Tony, lowering his voice, and
fixing a very quiet but steady look on the other.

"Yes, if it's a short one."

"It's a very short one. Has no one ever kicked you for