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Gilbert.
"Thank you, sir. This money will be very useful. Besides, it will show
Carl that his father is not wholly indifferent to him."
"Of course not. Who says that I am a bad father?" asked Dr. Crawford,
peevishly.
"I don't think, sir, there would be any difficulty between you and Carl if
you had not married again."
"Carl has no right to vex Mrs. Crawford. Besides, he can't agree with
Peter."
"Is that his fault or Peter's?" asked Gilbert, significantly.
"I am not acquainted with the circumstances, but Mrs. Crawford says
that Carl is always bullying Peter."
"He never bullied anyone at school."
"Is there anything, else you want?"
"Yes, sir; Carl only took away a little underclothing in a gripsack. He
would like his woolen clothes put in his trunk, and to have it sent----"
"Where?"
"Perhaps it had better be sent to my house. There are one or two things
in his room also that he asked me to get."
"Why didn't he come himself?"

"Because he thought it would be unpleasant for him to meet Mrs.
Crawford. They would be sure to quarrel."
"Well, perhaps he is right," said Dr. Crawford, with an air of relief.
"About the allowance, I shall have to consult my wife. Will you come
with me to the house?"
"Yes, sir; I should like to have the matter settled to-day, so that Carl
will know what to depend upon."
Gilbert rather dreaded the interview he was likely to have with Mrs.
Crawford; but he was acting for Carl, and his feelings of friendship
were strong.
So he walked beside Dr. Crawford till they reached the tasteful
dwelling occupied as a residence by Carl and his father.
"How happy Carl could be here, if he had a stepmother like mine,"
Gilbert thought.
They went up to the front door, which was opened for them by a
servant.
"Jane, is Mrs. Crawford in?" asked the doctor.
"No, sir; not just now. She went to the village to do some shopping."
"Is Peter in?"
"No, sir."
"Then you will have to wait till they return."
"Can't I go up to Carl's room and be packing his things?"
"Yes, I think you may. I don't think Mrs. Crawford would object."
"Good heavens! Hasn't the man a mind of his own?" thought Gilbert.

"Jane, you may show this young gentleman up to Master Carl's room,
and give him the key of his trunk. He is going to pack his clothes."
"When is Master Carl coming back?" asked Jane.
"I--I don't know. I think he will be away for a time."
"I wish it was Peter instead of him," said Jane, in a low voice, only
audible to Gilbert.
She showed Gilbert the way upstairs, while the doctor went to his
study.
"Are you a friend of Master Carl's?" asked Jane, as soon as they were
alone.
"Yes, Jane."
"And where is he?"
"At my house."
"Is he goin' to stay there?"
"For a short time. He wants to go out into the world and make his own
living."
"And no wonder--poor boy! It's hard times he had here."
"Didn't Mrs. Crawford treat him well?" asked Gilbert, with curiosity
"Is it trate him well? She was a-jawin' an' a-jawin' him from mornin' till
night. Ugh, but she's an ugly cr'atur'!"
"How about Peter?"
"He's just as bad--the m'anest bye I iver set eyes on. It would do me
good to see him flogged."

She chatted a little longer with Gilbert, helping him to find Carl's
clothes, when suddenly a shrill voice was heard calling her from below.
"Shure, it's the madam!" said Jane, shrugging her shoulders. "I expect
she's in a temper;" and she rose from her knees and hurried downstairs.
CHAPTER V.
CARL'S STEPMOTHER.
Five minutes later, as Gilbert was closing the trunk, Jane reappeared.
"The doctor and Mrs. Crawford would like to see you downstairs," she
said.
Gilbert followed Jane into the library, where Dr. Crawford and his wife
were seated. He looked with interest at the woman who had made home
so disagreeable to Carl, and was instantly prejudiced against her. She
was light complexioned, with very light-brown hair, cold, gray eyes,
and a disagreeable expression which seemed natural to her.
"My dear," said the doctor, "this is the young man who has come from
Carl."
Mrs. Crawford surveyed Gilbert with an expression by no means
friendly.
"What is your name?" she asked.
"Gilbert Vance."
"Did Carl Crawford send you here?"
"No; I volunteered to come."
"Did he tell you that he was disobedient and disrespectful to me?"
"No; he told me that you treated him so badly that he was unwilling to
live in the same house with you," answered Gilbert, boldly.

"Well, upon my word!" exclaimed Mrs. Crawford, fanning herself
vigorously. "Dr. Crawford, did you hear