Harry's eldest brother was again ill, and at last the news of his death was received at Hampton.

Under other circumstances such tidings as those might, to a certain extent, have brought their own consolation with them.

Harry would now be Mr.Norman of Normansgrove, and Linda would become Mrs.Norman of Normansgrove; Harry's mother had long been dead, and his father was an infirm old man, who would be too glad to give up to his son the full management of the estate, now that the eldest son was a man to whom that estate could be trusted.

All those circumstances had, of course, been talked over between Harry and Linda, and it was understood that Harry was now to resign his situation at the Weights and Measures.

But Alaric's condition, Gertrude's misery, and Katie's illness, threw all such matters into the background.