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“You think wisely, my child. God grant that your true thoughts may sustain you in the trials to come!” replied Mrs. Darlington.

The door-bell rang as the family were rising from the tea-table. The visitor was Mr. Ellis. He had come to advise with and assist the distressed mother and her children; and his words were listened to with far more deference than was the case a year before. Nine or ten months’ experience in keeping a boarding-house had corrected many of the false views of Mrs. Darlington, and she was now prepared to make an effort for her family in a different spirit from that exhibited in the beginning. The plan proposed by her brother–a matter-of-fact kind of person–was the taking of a house at a more moderate rent, and opening a school for young children. Many objections and doubts were urged; but he overruled them all, and obtained, in the end, the cordial consent of every member of the family. During the argument which preceded the final decision of the matter, Mrs. Darlington said–

“Suppose the girls should not be able to get scholars?”

“Let them see to this beforehand.”

“Many may promise to send, and afterwards change their minds.”

“Let them,” replied the brother. “If, at the end of the first, second, and third years, you have not made your expenses, I will supply the deficiency.”

“You!”

“Yes. The fact is, sister, if you will be guided in some respects by my judgment, I will stand by you, and see you safely over every difficulty. Your boarding-house experiment I did not approve. I saw from the beginning how it would end, and I wished to see the end as quickly as possible. It has come, and I am glad of it; and, still further, thankful that the disaster has not been greater. If you only had now the five or six hundred dollars wasted in a vain experiment during the past year, how much the sum might do for you! But we will not sigh over this. As just said, I will stand by you in the new experiment, and see that you do not fall again into embarrassment.”

Henry was present at this interview, but remained silent during the whole time. Since the day of Miriam’s departure with Burton, and safe return, a great change had taken place in the young man. He was like one starting up from sleep on the brink of a fearful precipice, and standing appalled at the danger he had escaped almost by a miracle. The way in which he had begun to walk he saw to be the way to sure destruction, and his heart shrunk with shame and trembled with dismay.

“Henry,” said the uncle, after an hour’s conversation with his sister and Edith, “I would like to talk with you alone.”

Mrs. Darlington and her daughters left the room.

“Henry,” said Mr. Ellis, as soon as the rest had withdrawn, “you are old enough to do something to help on. All the burden ought not to come on Edith and Miriam.”

“Only show me what I can do, uncle, and I am ready to put my hands to the work,” was Henry’s prompt reply.

“It will be years before you can expect an income from your profession.”

“I know, I know. That is what discourages me.”

“I can get you the place of clerk in an insurance office, at a salary of five hundred dollars a year. Will you accept it?”

“Gladly!” The face of the young man brightened as if the sun had shone upon it suddenly.

“You will have several hours each day, in which to continue your law reading, and will get admitted to the bar early enough. Keep your mother and sisters for two or three years, and then they will be in a condition to sustain you until you make a practice in your profession.”

But to this the mother and sisters, when it was mentioned to them, objected. They were not willing to have Henry’s professional studies interrupted. That would be a great wrong to him.