to
questionable sympathy.

'Very glad to see you out, my dear. Why haven't you been to church
lately? It's a very bad sign to keep away from the means of grace when
in trouble. Have you heard the particulars of Captain Knox's death? I
hope you are quite certain about it, you seem to have gone into
mourning very quickly. In cases like this there are often mistakes
made. Was the body identified? Well--well, I am very sorry for you;
but you would have felt it more if you had been his wife!'

Clare turned and fled from her, and stayed away from church for a month
longer, then only going at Agatha's most earnest request.

When Gwen's letter was received, and Clare heard the contents, she said
listlessly,--

'Walter can have my money if he likes; it will make no difference to
me. You can write to Mr. Watkins, and get him to see to it, Agatha.'

'And mine, too,' put in Elfie brightly. 'Gwen has a good head for
business, and if she is going to venture hers, I am sure we can ours.'

But cautious Agatha shook her head, and spread the papers out before
her with a grave and anxious face. Then she disappeared for a short
time. She knelt at her bedside and asked for guidance about such an
important step. And when she rose from her knees she thought sadly
that Gwen had planned and purposed without prayer, and wondered if she
were too intent upon her own schemes to be wise in her judgment and
decisions.

'I am going up to town to talk it over with Mr. Watkins,' she
announced, a short time afterwards. 'I do not wish to be ill-natured,
and selfish, and prevent Walter from getting on, but I have a horror of
these gold-mining companies; and if it should come to a crash, we
should literally have nothing left. Of course, you must do as you
please, only don't act hastily. Let me hear what Mr. Watkins says.'

So to town she went, and came back very tired, but quite decided in her
own mind. Mr. Watkins had not scoffed at the company. He had heard a
good deal about it, and had clients who were taking shares in it. He
thought it might prove a very good speculation, and there were sound
business men backing it up. 'But,' said Agatha, 'he said most
emphatically that it was a speculation, and that no one could be
positively certain of its success; and, after a great deal of
consideration, I have made up my mind to have nothing to do with it.'

'Did Mr. Watkins advise your not having anything to do with it?' asked
Elfie.