I regret very much, Mrs Cruden, having to be the bearer of such bad news, and I can only say the respect I had for your late husband will make any assistance I can offer you, by way of advice or otherwise, a pleasure." And Mr Richmond bowed himself out of the room with a smile.
It was a relief to be left alone, and Mrs Cruden, despite her weakness and misery, struggled hard for the sake of her boys to put a brave face on their trouble.
"Reg, dear," said she to her eldest son, who had fairly broken down, and with his head on his hand was giving vent to his misery, "try to bear it.

After all, we are left to one another, and--" The poor mother could not finish her sentence, but bent down and kissed the wet cheek of the boy.
"Of course it means," said Horace, after a pause, "we shall have to give up Garden Vale, and leave Wilderham too.

And Reg was sure of a scholarship next term.

I say, mother, what _are_ we to do ?" "We are all strong enough to do something, dear boy," said Mrs Cruden.
"I'll take care _you_ don't have to do anything, mother," said Reginald, looking up.

"I'll work my fingers to the bones before you have to come down to that." He spoke with clenched teeth, half savagely.
"Even if we can sell all the furniture," continued Horace, taking a practical view of the situation, "it wouldn't give us much to live on." "Shut up, Horace!" said Reginald.