"you must not listen to such temptations. Your Uncle Thomas is a dour, hard man or he would have asked after your brothers before you. There are few of the Kelder stock that are not fighting for their own hand only, and I trow well that you will serve Thomas Kelder hard for any share in his money bags." "It looks like a good offer, mother. I think my uncle meant it kindly and I must say so." "Say it as often as pleases you; but oh, Jan, you will go back to college and take up your Greek and Hebrew and anon serve in the Lord's temple instead of Thomas Kelder's Soho Bank; and Jan, if you will do right in this matter, you will have my blessing and every shilling of my money." Then seeing no change in Jan's face she made her last great concession. “And, Jan, you may marry Julia Ruthven if you are set on the business, and I will like the young lady as well as may be." "Your mother is trying to bribe you, Jan. You know whether she has bid your price or not. I will just remark that when you have served your two years I will buy you a twenty thousand pound share in the business, and a man with twenty thousand pounds can pick and choose the wife he likes best. But I am above bribing you; a fair offer is not a bribe." The concession concerning Miss Ruthven was a very important one to Jan, for it was a great relief to have the matter brought so early and so easily to an understanding. He had dreaded the personal and family ordeal that was sure to follow any explanation of his engagement to marry but in this conversation the engagement had been virtually accepted as at least probable and he had been spared a confession that young men dread and dislikerightly so, for in most cases it breaks up the old family happiness and order without adequate compensa tion. A difficulty had been removed but Jan hesitated. "The first step binds to the next," he answered thoughtfully. "I must see Julia. She may have something to say and the night often brings counsel. This is a bewildering world, sir, and I will think circumstances over until the morning." "Just so. That stands to reason." Mrs. Kelder did not speak and Jan did not dare to look at her. He left the room at once and in a few minutes she heard the front door close hurriedly. Then she rose and stood angrily facing her husband. "You have sent my Jan on the worst road he can take, Robert Kelder," she said. "You need have no fear for Jan, Mary. He will do nothing of an extreme nature." "Oh indeed, if he takes your advice and the woman's advice, only God knows where it will lead him. I am not able to think of any greater extreme." "Sit down, Mary, and "It is not with you I'll sit this night, Robert Kelder;" and with these words she left her husband to his own reflections. He suffered her to depart without further persuasion. This night his own thoughts satisfied him; he was glad to let them roam unchecked by anyone's doubts or denials. For he was thinking of the purchase and restoration of Kelder Court, of the great estate among the Ochill Hills which belonged to it, of the political influence that would follow, if Janor himself-got a return to Parliament, of the power they might then win or buy, which would permit them to assume the title so long in abeyance. Jan at least might yet be Lord Kelder, of Kelder Court. The dream was a splendid one; it satisfied all his desires, it made the time go quickly; and at that hour he believed it would come true. In the meantime Jan had gone rapidly to Julia's |