ntity of things money can buy: yet, when ingenuous minds have fully comprehended the potent character of the metal,

ey have begun under the influence of the passion for hoarding, which is but a blind passion of the finger-ends. The idea that they have got together, bit by bit, a power, travels s

ith a poetical love, rather than with the sordid desire to amass gold pieces. Though a saving old man, he had his comforts; and if they haunted him and reproached him subsequently, for indulging wayward

is day come five years. He knew it only too well. The sum took no grand leaps. It increased, but did not seem to

f England, and a portion in Boyne's Bank. He had besides a few skirmishing securities, and some such bits o

ents of grandeur that the solid property could not impart. Nevertheless, the anti-poetical tendency within him which warre

is own; and he felt it with so poignant an emotion that at times his fears of death were excited by the knowledge of a dead man's impoten

y's estate was not able to buy up Queen Anne's Farm?-when, in point o

o whom he wished no earthly ill, but only that he should not live with a mitigated veneration for him. He was really nourished by the farmer's gluttonous delight in his suppos

ged against his bosom, and his heart swelled to the money-bags immense. He was a dispirited, but a grateful

, "you might speculate, and in tw

d: "My character's worth

money was the only thing which acted on his imagination; his character had attained to no sacred halo, a

could call it mine for just forty or

er should be in town of an afternoon he would steal ten minutes or so, and make an appointment with him somewhere and show him the money-bags

f his trouble. In other words, the intermittent fever of a sort of harmless rascality was afflicting th

gave him a shivering sense of its being necessary for him to be born again in

out warmly and honourably, and so he sa

y tell us, that this is the imprudence of women under temptation; and perhaps Anthony was pushed to the verge of the a

hen Mrs. Wicklow, his landlady, could hear Anthony talking in the tone of voice of one who

n an afternoon in Spring, when a young female plucked at his coat, an

. "You shall be given in ch

!" she

ndler in petticoa

ace, and when she repeated piteously: "U

nderment, s

down from the corners of her eyes. Yet the inspection convinced him that he beheld Dahlia, his remembering the niece. He was amazed; but speedily priceless trust in his arms, and the wickedn

hair; "is that the ladies' fashion now? 'Cause, if it is, our young street scamps has only got to buy bonnets, and-I say, yo

ill you, please, let me

standing

, out of

y lodgings ain't too poo

well. I cannot walk far. Will y

to a cab?" Anthony

ft off rid

. "Cash is down in the mouth at

t her to a quiet place where they might sit together, away from noise.

aking my arm?"

across the road with her, among omnibuses a

hey catch you in a mess, and getting the worst of it. Let me tell you; you'll never get manly chaff out of big bundles o' fellows with ne'er an atom o' circulation. The river's the place for that. I've heard uncommon good things on the river-not of 'em, but heard 'em. T' other's most part invention. And, they tell me, horseback's a prime thing for chaff. Circulation, again. Sharp and lively, I mean; not bawl, and answer over your back-most part impudence

ahlia replied

ave be

le," sh

to the farm? O'

wait," moa

een sick, and n

, wait," she

o man was safe of keeping his own money, 'cause of grasping kings-all claws and crown. I'm Republican as far as 'none o' them'-goes. There's the ships. The sun rises

ed, and then drawing in her

er; they say she called on you, and you wouldn't see her; and a gal so good and a gal s

ped in front of a shop displaying cups and muffins at the window, and leprous-looking strips of bacon, an

hey took possession of a compart

op was

nd finding that she had no pride at all. "My sister marries your father, and, in consequence-well! a muffin now and then ain't so very much. We'll forget it, though it i

ed the bright angu

er and Rhoda. Tell me what they are doing, and do they sleep and eat well, and are not in trouble? I could not write. I was hel

ony's eyes. "Then, where'

ttempt at smilin

n't there one among 'em to w

m not strong, uncle; if you will only leave following me so

e where your husband ba

, I can

fingers, "do you get money from him to make

of a pit-fall. "Paper,

en, name

s she answered: "I don't know any

es you bank-notes. Nothing better in the world. And he a'n't been gi

e is no pr

is he? Is he

breathed

gentleman. Eh?-a

es

d he lo

rrogatory now beat about within herself f

ny; and she, in her relief at the pause to her torment, sa

ept yourself pretty secr

s proud? He's proud, ain

a family? How did he l

come down in the

not ready. "He didn

don't mind your cutting of yo

k her he

down upon he

he's a

n, he did n

grasp; but her heart beat thick, her lips

ved, and a poll like a turnip-head of a thie

he caught Anthony's arm with one firm hand to hold him silent, and w

ld farmer attends Methody meetin's, and quotes Scriptur' as if he was fixed like a pump to the Book, and couldn't fetch a breath without quotin'. Rhoda's oftenest along with your rector's wife down there, and does works o' charity, sicknussin', readin'-old farmer does the preachin'. Old mother Sumfit's fat as ever, and says her money's for you.

he old oaks, leading up to the heath. Are they? Father will miss it. Rhoda will mourn

place that raving-like? But 'queer''s your motto. The truth is this-you just listen. Hear me- hush! I won't speak in a

nly shrinking in a perceptible tremble of acute divination. "

egan again, in his circumlocutory delicacy: "Never mind; help or no help, what th' old farmer feels is-and

ith desperate courage to confront her uncle, distract his speech, and avert the saying of the

ie drawn sharp to check her

da," said Anthony. "She'

loves her!" Dah

ark. There was an idea in this that he had said, and the light of it

a good deal. O' cou

hlia, who now felt bare at any in

of his child 'it's very odd!' and 'keepin' away like that!' and

ct quietude of spirit, and pretended to see

ly, "Dear father!" and it

y not make a entry into the village, and show 'em? I loves my father, says you. I can or I can't brin

abandoned all defence in

how you went off, or who's the man, lucky or not. You went off sudden, on a morning, after kissin' me at breakfast; and no more Dahly visible. And he suspects-he more'n suspects. Farm's up for sale. Th' old farmer thinks it's unbrotherly of me not to go and buy, and I can't make him see I don't understand land: it's about like ch

d with his foo

to them-wicked people! base-base people! I am married, uncle. Tell father so, and don't let him sell the farm. Tell him, I said I was married. I am. I'm resp

rings, that moved as if it had forgotten its purpose. She could say no more. S

give 'em you can. Ah, there's a weddin' ring on your finger, sure enough. Plain gold-and, Lord! how bony your fingers ha' got, Dahly. If you are a sinner, you're a bony one

a consummate si

ther thinks

n equal simulatio

woman.' He asks for you to clear yourself. He says, 'It's hard for an old man'

his hand tight o

se when she had got her breath, was to soothe him. She took his ha

hink it," Anth

s bosom exulted u

l fight for you-there's ne'er a one in Wrexby da

lia gasped, and the tears

on. His hushings and soothings were louder than her weeping. Incapable of re

ess, Anthony could not help mumbling, "Though I can't make out about your husband, and why he lets ye be cropped-

wed he

oo

very

ain't he, a

d torn by a

found out he's nothin' o' the sort-eh? That'd be a way of accounting for yo

ified vehem

ducted, and that's all they care for. I say, Dahly, he ain't a gentleman? You speak out or nod your head. You thought you'd caught a gentleman

rrible inward conflict, like a v

w him to me? Let me

ggled within herself again, and again

u w

es

If you'll show him t

" Dahlia struck her fi

e on him, my gal. Wher

eat-very great

ny st

ok: "In the West of L

where

es

he old man suspiciously

e d

some

I say,

"-Dahlia gave

about gentleman-or no gentleman. More do th' old farmer. It's let us, live and die respectable, and not disgrace father nor mother. Old-fashioned's

day after," Dahlia plead

he?" Ant

n the c

on her, as he ha

to me he w

in the great cities. I could not

sharpest trial of her life, and had decided for the course of her life. Anthony was witless thereof, and was mystified by his incapability of perceiving where and how he had been deluded; bu

in return for her air of expectancy after the amount had been laid on the

re honourable-you're legal-but prodigal ain't your portion. That's what she says, without the words, unless she's a reader. Now, then, Dahly, my lass, you take

n, if one of them's so

u know-don't ye, Dahly, know we been suspecting his

ced your dress there. No wonder your husband's poor. He wanted to make you

ut did not reveal

-enter 'em, and if 'taint like a sort of, a social sepulchre! Dashed if he can get his son to live with him;

rt, too. He called on me at

her?' s

,' I

Edward Blancove

And then Robert goes off. His opinion is you ain't in Engl

ives to catch thieves, and not go distr

s set in, though he's the mildest big 'un I ever come across. I forgot to haul him over about what he 'd got to say about

saw me. He had seen me at

There's sense in that young man. Your husband wouldn't

ght;" but in the intensity of her torment, the wretchedness of this li

thought it natural that she should s

idges, and Dahlia stopped

shamed," s

nsisted on his not acc

to bring her husband to the identical spot where they stood at

y," said Anthony, showing that he had con

ill be your fault-I shall not appear. Now, mind. And beg them not to leave the farm. It will kill father. Can you not," she said

d a rough sho

out praying. If he didn't make it look so dark to a chap, I'd be ready to fancy

y night," Da

was hauntingly sad with

of money; and another of his terrific vag