Walter was vexed
with him for pursuing a path alone, along which his brother neither
could nor would follow him at present. He was content that it should be
so, and bore the cross patiently, being willing to bide his time,
thankful to notice in Walter a kindlier feeling towards himself on the
whole, and convinced that, in the end, his own motives and work would be
duly appreciated by that brother whom he sincerely loved.

Miss Huntingdon saw what was going on, and rejoiced. She knew well that
the discipline would only tend to brighten the character of her elder
nephew, and felt sure that Walter would learn by degrees fully to
understand and value his brother. Meanwhile, she was ever ready to
throw in a little oil when the waters were more than usually troubled.
She knew, too, the strength of Amos's religious character, and the
weakness of any higher or holier principles in Walter's heart; and she
was sure that the steady consistency of her elder nephew would gradually
win on the generous heart of his brother, spite of himself.

Nothing special had occurred to spoil the harmony of feeling between
Amos and Walter for some weeks after the unexpected absence of the
former from home; so that the hearts of the brothers were really being
drawn closer together, notwithstanding natural dissimilarity of
disposition, and the absence in Walter of that high principle and self-
discipline which were moulding his elder brother's character into daily
nearer conformity to Him who is the one only perfect pattern of
humanity.

It was while Walter was thus increasingly becoming sensible of the
superior beauty of his brother's sterling worth and consistency, and was
at the same time secretly resenting the pressure of that nobler life's
influence upon him, being unprepared to follow it out himself and submit
to its gentle restraints and self-denial, that a party of friends was
assembled at dinner one summer evening at the Manor-house. Mr
Huntingdon did not give dinner-parties now as frequently as in happier
days, and his friends and neighbours understood and appreciated the
cause; but now and then he felt it to be his duty to entertain his
friends in the old way; so, on the present occasion, some thirty guests
sat down to table.

Among those present were an old Mrs Morse, a widow lady, and her
daughter. The mother was a kind-hearted woman of the world, reasonably
well-to-do, and visited by all the good families in the neighbourhood