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then looked almost ready to faint。
〃My dear child；〃 said her father； 〃This is your wish。 I give you
joy； indeed I do！〃
Ethel drew his arm round her； and leaned against him。 〃My wish！ my
wish！〃 she repeated； as if questioning the drift of the words。
〃I'm glad it is found！〃 cried Harry。 〃Now I know why he talked of
Cocksmoor； and seemed to rest in planning for it。 You will mind the
roof is as he said。〃
〃You must talk to Dr。 Spencer about that；〃 said Dr。 May。 〃The
captain means to leave it entirely in our hands。〃
〃Dear Alan！〃 exclaimed Ethel。 〃My wish！ Oh； yes； but how gained？
Yet； Cocksmoor with a church！ I don't know how to be glad enough；
and yet〃
〃You shall read the sentence；〃 said Dr。 May。 〃'In testimony of
thankfulness for mercy vouchsafed to him here' poor dear boy！〃
〃What does the captain say？〃 asked Harry。
〃He is rather astounded； but he owns that the estate can bear it； for
old Halliday had saved a great deal； and there will be more before
Hector comes of age。〃
〃And Hector？〃
〃Yes； we get him back。 I am fellow…trustee with Captain Gordon； and
as to personal guardianship； I fancy the captain found he could not
make the boy happy； and thinks you no bad specimen of our training。〃
〃Famous！〃 cried Harry。 〃Hector will hurrah now！ Is that all？〃
〃Except legacies to Captain Gordon； and some Scottish relations。 But
poor Margaret ought to hear it。 Ethel； don't be long in coming。〃
With all Ethel's reputation for bluntness； it was remarkable how her
force of character made her always called for whenever there was the
least dread of a scene。
She turned abruptly from Harry； and； going outside the window； tried
to realise and comprehend the tidings； but all she could have time to
discover was that Alan's memory was dearer to her than ever； and she
was obliged to hasten upstairs。
Her father quitted the room by one door； as she entered by the other；
she believed that it was to hide his emotion； but Margaret's fair wan
face was beaming with the sweetest of congratulating smiles。
〃I thought so；〃 she said； as Ethel came in。 〃Dear Ethel； are you not
glad？〃
〃I think I am；〃 said Ethel； putting her hands to her brow。
〃You think！〃 exclaimed Margaret； as if disappointed。
〃I beg your pardon；〃 said Ethel； with quivering lip。 〃Dear Margaret；
I am gladdon't you believe I am； but somehow； it is harder to deal
with joy than grief。 It confuses one！ Dear Alanand then to have
been set on it so longto have prayed so for it； and to have it come
in this wayby your〃
〃Nay； Ethel； had he come home； it was his great wish to have done it。
He used to make projects when he was here； but he would not let me
tell you； lest he should find duties at Maplewoodwhereas this would
have been his pleasure。〃
〃Dear Alan！〃 repeated Ethel。 〃If you are so kind； so dear as to be
glad； Margaret； I think I shall be so presently。〃
Margaret almost grudged the lack of the girlish outbreak of rejoicing
which would once have forgotten everything in the ecstasy of the
fulfilled vision。 It did not seem to be what Alan had intended； he
had figured to himself unmixed joy； and she wanted to see it； and
something of the wayward impatience of weakness throbbed at her
heart； as Ethel paced the room； and disappeared in her own curtained
recess。
Presently she came back saying； 〃You are sure you are glad？〃
〃It would be strange if I were not；〃 said Margaret。 〃See； Ethel；
here are blessings springing up from what I used to think had served
for nothing but to bring him pain and grief。 I am so thankful that
he could express his desire； and so grateful to dear Harry for
bringing it to light。 How much better it is than I ever thought it
could be！ He has been spared disappointment； and surely the good
that he will have done will follow him。〃
〃And you？〃 said Ethel sadly。
〃I shall lie here and wait；〃 said Margaret。 〃I shall see the plans；
and hear all about it； and oh！〃her eyes lighted up〃perhaps some
day； I may hear the bell。〃
Richard's tap interrupted them。 〃Had he heard？〃
〃I have。〃 The deepened colour in his cheek betrayed how much he
felt； as he cast an anxious glance towards Margaretan inquiring one
on Ethel。
〃She is so pleased；〃 was all Ethel could say。
〃I thought she would be；〃 said Richard； approaching。 〃Captain Gordon
seemed quite vexed that no special token of remembrance was left to
her。〃
Margaret smiled in a peculiar way。 〃If he only knew how glad I am
there was not。〃 And Ethel knew that the church was his token to
Margaret； and that any 〃fading frail memorial〃 would have lessened
the force of the signification。
Ethel could speak better to her brother than to her sister。 〃Oh；
Richard！ Richard！ Richard！〃 she cried； and a most unusual thing with
both； she flung her arms round his neck。 〃It is come at last！ If it
had not been for you； this would never have been。 How little likely
it seemed； that dirty day； when I talked wildly； and you checked me！〃
〃You had faith and perseverance；〃 said Richard； 〃or〃
〃You are right；〃 said Margaret； as Ethel was about to disclaim。 〃It
was Ethel's steadiness that brought it before Alan's mind。 If she
had yielded when we almost wished it； in the time of the distress
about Mrs。 Green； I do believe that all would have died away！〃
〃I didn't keep steadyI was only crazy。 You and Ritchie and Mr。
Wilmot〃 said Ethel； half crying； then； as if unable to stay； she
exclaimed with a sort of petulance； 〃And there's Harry playing all
sorts of rigs with Aubrey！ I shan't get any more sense out of him
to…day！〃
And away she rushed to the wayfaring dust of her life of labour； to
find Aubrey and Daisy half…way up the tulip tree； and Harry
mischievously unwilling to help them down again； assuring her that
such news deserved a holiday； and that she was growing a worse tartar
than Miss Winter。 She had better let the poor children alone； put on
her bonnet； and come with him to tell Mr。 Wilmot。
Whereat Ethel was demurring； when Dr。 May came forth； and declared he
should take her himself。
Poor Mr。 Wilmot laboured under a great burden of gratitude； which no
one would receive from him。 Dr。 May and Ethel repudiated thanks
almost with terror； and； when he tried them with the captain； he
found very doubtful approval of the whole measure； so that Harry
alone was a ready acceptant of a full meed of acknowledgments for his
gallant extraction of the will。
No one was more obliged to him than Hector Ernescliffe； who wrote to
Margaret that it would be very jolly to come home again； and that he
was delighted that the captain could not hinder either that or
Cocksmoor Church。 〃And as to Maplewood； I shall not hate it so much；
if that happens which I hope will happen。〃 Of which oracular
sentence； Margaret could make nothing。
The house of May felt more at their ease when the uncongenial captain
had departed； although he carried off Harry with him。 There was the
better opportunity for a tea…drinking consultation with Dr。 Spencer
and Mr。 Wilmot； when Margaret lay on her sofa； looking better than
for months past； and taking the keenest interest in every
arrangement。
Dr。 Spenc