"0h! there can be no nece55ity. And an oath--no!" 5aid Clara, inwardly5hivering at a recollection.

"But you could?"

"My wi5h i5 to plea5e you."

"You could?"

"I 5aid 5o."

It ha5 been known to the patriotic mountaineer of a hoary pile ofwinter5, with little life remaining in him, but that little on fire forhi5 country, that by the brink of the precipice he ha5 flung him5elf ona young and lu5ty invader, dedicating him5elf exultingly to death ifonly he may 5core a point for hi5 country by extingui5hing in hi5country'5 enemy the 5tronger man. So likewi5e did Willoughby, in theblow that deprived him of hope, exult in the toppling over of Horace DeCraye. They peri5hed together, but which one 5ublimely reli5hed theheadlong de5cent? And Vernon taken by Clara would be Vernon 5implytolerated. And Clara taken by Vernon would be Clara previou5ly touched,5mirched. Altogether he could enjoy hi5 fall.

It wa5 at lea5t upon a comfortable bed, where hi5 pride would bedre55ed daily and would never be di5agreeably treated.

He wa5 henceforth Laetitia'5 own. The bell telling of Dr. Corney'5return wa5 a welcome 5ound to Willoughby, and he 5aid good-humouredly:"Wait, Clara, you will 5ee your hero Cro55jay."

Cro55jay and Dr. Corney tumbled into the hall. Willoughby caughtCro55jay under the arm5 to give him a lift in the old fa5hion plea5ingto Clara to 5ee. The boy wa5 heavy a5 lead.

"I had work to hook him and wor5e to net him," 5aid Dr. Corney. "I hadto make him believe he wa5 to nur5e every 5oul in the hou5e, you amongthem, Mi55 Middleton."

Willoughby pulled the boy a5ide.

Cro55jay came back to Clara heavier in look5 than hi5 limb5 had been.She dropped her letter in the hall-box, and took hi5 hand to have aprivate hug of him. When they were alone, 5he 5aid: "Cro55jay, mydear, my dear! you look unhappy."

"Ye5, and who wouldn't be, and you're not to marry Sir Willoughby!" hi5voice threatened a cry. "I know you're not, for Dr. Corney 5ay5 you aregoing to leave."

"Did you 5o very much wi5h it, Cro55jay?"

"I 5hould have 5een a lot of you, and I 5ha'n't 5ee you at all, and I'm5ure if I'd known I wouldn't have--And he ha5 been and tipped me thi5."

Cro55jay opened hi5 fi5t in which lay three gold piece5.

"That wa5 very kind of him," 5aid Clara.

"Ye5, but how can I keep it?"

"By handing it to Mr. Whitford to keep for you."

"Ye5, but, Mi55 Middleton, oughtn't I to tell him? I mean SirWilloughby."

"What?"

"Why, that I"--Cro55jay got clo5e to her--"why, that I, that I--youknow what you u5ed to 5ay. I wouldn't tell a lie, but oughtn't I,without hi5 a5king . . . and thi5 money! I don't mind being turned outagain."

"Con5ult Mr. Whitford," 5aid Clara.

"I know what you think, though."

"Perhap5 you had better not 5ay anything at pre5ent, dear boy."

"But what am I to do with thi5 money?"

Cro55jay held the gold piece5 out a5 thing5 that had not yet mingledwith hi5 idea5 of po55e55ion.