One of the 28th | Page 8

return for his
kindness were she now, when he was ill and feeble, and was about to
bestow still further benefits upon her, to refuse to permit him any
longer to aid her. She wished, as she read the letter over again, that he

had expressed some desire to see her. She should have liked to have
thanked him in person, to have told him how grateful she felt for his
care and kindness, to have taken his hand again if but for a minute.
But he had expressed no wish for a meeting, had never all these years
made an effort to see her. She could read in the wording of the letter
that he had been principally deterred from making any attempt to see
her by the feeling that he had entirely forfeited her regard, and had
offended her beyond chance of forgiveness. And had she been asked
the day before she would doubtless have replied that she had no wish
whatever ever again to meet Herbert Penfold; whereas now she felt
almost aggrieved that he should express no wish to meet her, should
have stayed away so long without making one effort to bring about
reconciliation.
"Of all faults that a man can have," she said pettishly, "I do not think
there's one so detestable as that of self-distrust. Why could he not have
said ten years ago, 'I behaved badly, Mary; I treated you abominably;
but forgive me and forget. I was not wholly to blame, except that I
allowed others to come between us?' If he had come and said that, we
could at least have been good friends. I have no patience with men who
cannot stand up for themselves. Now, how much shall I tell Ralph?"
and she again read the letter through.
"Ralph," she said when he came in to dinner, "you remember that letter
I had this morning?"
"Yes, I know, mother; the one that made you turn so white. You said it
was from an old friend, though why a letter from an old friend should
upset any one I can't make out. What was it about, mother?"
"Well, my boy, it contains a pleasant piece of news. Mr. Penfold, that is
the name of the writer, was a friend of my family. He knew me long
ago when we were young people, and at one time it seemed likely that
we should be married. However, as you know, that never took place.
However, it seems, as he says by his letter, that he has never altogether
forgotten me, and he intends to help you on in life if you turn out as he
would like to see you. He wishes you to go down to stay with him

when your holidays begin."
"That sounds nice," Ralph said; "and if he has got any boys about my
own age it will be pleasant."
"He has no children, Ralph. He is what you may call an old bachelor,
and lives with his sisters--or, rather, they live with him."
"That does not sound very cheerful, mother. An old gentleman with
two old ladies alone in the house can't make much fun."
"He is not an old gentleman, Ralph," Mrs. Conway said almost angrily.
"I told you we were young people together. Still it may not be very
lively for you, but you must put up with that. He evidently means to be
very kind to you, and it will be of great advantage to you going down to
stay with him."
"But what are you going to do with yourself, mother, all alone here? I
think he might have asked you as well as me."
"I shall do very well, Ralph. I have plenty of friends here."
"Where does Mr. Penfold live, mother?"
"Down in Dorsetshire. It is a very nice place, and only about a mile
from the sea. But, as I say, I do not expect you will find it lively; but
that you mustn't mind. It will be a very good thing for you, and will be
well worth your while putting up with a little dullness for a time. Mr.
Penfold is one of the kindest of men, but I do not think you will like his
sisters much. Certainly you will not unless they are a good deal
changed from what they were as I remember them. Still you must try to
get on with them as well as you can, and I dare say you will find some
pleasant companions in the neighborhood. I am sure you will do your
best when I tell you that I am most anxious for many reasons that Mr.
Penfold should like you."
"Of course I will do my best, mother, though I must say that the
lookout is not, according to