They will go all the sooner.' With a scared face the younger man complies by casting his eyes downward at the ashes on the hearth.

Not relaxing his own gaze on the fire, but rather strengthening it with a fierce, firm grip upon his elbow-chair, the elder sits for a few moments rigid, and then, with thick drops standing on his forehead, and a sharp catch of his breath, becomes as he was before.

On his so subsiding in his chair, his nephew gently and assiduously tends him while he quite recovers.

When Jasper is restored, he lays a tender hand upon his nephew's shoulder, and, in a tone of voice less troubled than the purport of his words--indeed with something of raillery or banter in it--thus addresses him: 'There is said to be a hidden skeleton in every house; but you thought there was none in mine, dear Ned.' 'Upon my life, Jack, I did think so.

However, when I come to consider that even in Pussy's house--if she had one--and in mine--if I had one--' 'You were going to say (but that I interrupted you in spite of myself) what a quiet life mine is.