watched him go,
while his heart waxed tender within him.

His son--his only son! He would give his heart's blood for the lad.
Had he been just, wise, prudent, in the words which he had said? Had he
been stern enough?--too stern? He was in a thousand minds about his own
conduct, but in only one as regards Ralph's. The boy had taken his
dressing like a man. How handsome he had looked as he stood to listen,
not flinching or hanging his head as an ordinary culprit would have
done, but drawn to his full height, with straight, fearless gaze. With
what a frank air he had held out his hand for that farewell grasp!
Bless the boy! his heart was in the right place. He would settle down,
and make a fine man yet. Patience! Patience!

And so when the family met again for a late breakfast that New Year's
morning there was no shadow visible on the horizon, and throughout the
remainder of Darsie's visit every day seemed given up to enjoyment, and
brought with it some fresh festivity.

Contrary to her expectation, the subject of Ralph's troubles was avoided
rather than sought, and it was only on the eve of her departure to
Newnham that mother and sisters broke the silence to urge in each case
the same request--

"See as much of Ralph as you can during these next six months! Have a
little talk with Ralph now and again! Show an interest in his work.
Let him see that you care. We must all do our best to encourage him to
work!"

By all the members of the family it was taken for granted that Darsie's
interest in Ralph's future was equal to, if not greater than, their own;
they made no secret of their belief that her influence had the more
weight. If Darsie had known a passing temptation to abandon her
efforts, it would have been impossible to do so in the face of such
unanimous appeals.

Well, it was good to be back in Newnham once more, to get to work again
after the lazy weeks, to wake up one's brains with tussles over Anglo-
Saxon texts, to wrestle with philology, instead of browsing over novels
and magazine tales. The Divinity Schools were stuffy as ever, the men
on one side shutting up the windows with their usual persistence, while
the girls on theirs frowned and fumed; but the Chaucer lectures were
full of interest, and coaching assumed a keener interest as spring
advanced and the prospect of "Mays" drew near. Last year both Darsie
and Hannah had gained second-class honours; this year they had
determined to gain