onsoled
him for his domestic insignificance; and some such comfort he needed;
for he had no will of his own whenever Esther interfered, so rigorous
was the sway wherewith the strong mind ruled the weak.

Their family--a sore point was this with Mrs. Pendarrel, who foresaw
that in some shape her own manoeuvre must be repeated--consisted of
two daughters, Gertrude and Mildred. Gertrude was nearly thirty,
married, but without offspring: Mildred was not quite twenty. In
appearance, they both resembled their mother, and might be imagined to
exhibit traces of the ancient people said, in some legends, to have
founded Marazion.

Esther lost no time in fulfilling her purpose of visiting the orphans.
As soon as possible after the despatch of the letter, she started for
Pendarrel Hall, which, unlike Trevethlan Castle, was a modern mansion,
surrounded by a large park. The day after her arrival, she drove to
perform her errand.

Old Jeffrey had pondered much on the novel instructions received from
his young master; and every sound of the gate-bell roused him to a
great display of vigilance. First, he reconnoitred the party seeking
admission, through a loop-hole: if that scrutiny were satisfactory, he
opened a slit in the wicket, and held a parley: if this proved equally
free from danger, he unclosed the wicket itself, and allowed the
visitor to enter. Hitherto, he had not been called upon to pronounce
the message of exclusion.

But the sound of an approaching carriage awoke all the caution of the
old warder. Mrs. Pendarrel's chariot wound heavily up the now rugged
road, which led through the base-court to the main gateway of the
castle. The lady looked from side to side, and viewed the surrounding
desolation with some secret triumph, as betokening a necessity which
must be glad to accept relief. At length her carriage drew up in front
of the arched portal, and a servant alighted, and rang the bell with
correct violence.

Old Jeffrey had sufficient shrewdness to know that such an attack as
this could not be repelled from the loop-hole; so he descended to
parley through the opening in the wicket.

"Now, sir," said the invading servant, "how long is my lady to wait?"

"Who did you want to see?" asked the porter in turn.

"Open the gates, sir: let us drive to the hall-door."

"Troth," said Jeffrey, "this is the hall-door just now. Who did ye
want to see?"

Mrs. Pendarrel, slightly impatient, repeated her servant's demand fr