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stretch of the way home could discern nobody. When, however, they had gone about three-quarters of the distance, they became conscious of an irregular foot-fall in front of them, and could see a whitish figure in the gloom. They followed dubiously. The figure met another wayfarer—the single one that had been encountered upon thia lonely road—and they distinctly heard him ask the way to Narrobourne. The stranger replied—what waa quite true—that the nearest way was by turning in at the stile by the next bridge, and following the foot-path which branched thence across the meadows.

When the brothers reached the atile they also entered the path, but did not overtake the subject of their worry till they had crossed two or three meads, and the lights from Narrobourne manor-honse were visible before them through the trees. Their father was no longer walking ; he was seated agsinat the wet bank of an adjoining hedge. Observing their forms be shouted, “I'm going to Narrobourne; who may you be?”

They went up to him, and revealed themselves, reminding him of the plan which he had himself proposed in hie note, that they should meet him at Ivell.

“By Jerry, I'd forgot it!” he said. “Well, what do you want me to do?” His tone waa distinctly quarrelsome.

A long conversation followed, which became imbittered at the first hint from them that he should not come to the village. The millwright drew a quart bottle from his pocket, and challenged them to drink if they meant friendly and called themselves men. Neither of the two had touched alcoho! for years, but for once they thought it best to accept, so as not to needlessly provoke him.