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harm in it。〃
〃No harm； miss！ Who is the best judge of that？〃
〃Mrs。 Westmacott；〃 suggested Ida； slyly。
The Doctor sprang from his chair。 〃Confound Mrs。 Westmacott！〃 he
cried； striking frenziedly into the air with his hands。 〃Am I to hear of
nothing but this woman？ Is she to confront me at every turn？ I will
endure it no longer。〃
〃But it was your wish； papa。〃
〃Then I will tell you now what my second and wiser wish is； and we
shall see if you will obey it as you have the first。〃
〃Of course we will； papa。〃
〃Then my wish is； that you should forget these odious notions which
you have imbibed； that you should dress and act as you used to do； before
ever you saw this woman； and that； in future； you confine your intercourse
with her to such civilities as are necessary between neighbors。〃
〃We are to give up Mrs。 Westmacott？〃
〃Or give up me。〃
〃Oh； dear dad； how can you say anything so cruel？〃 cried Ida；
burrowing her towsy golden hair into her father's shirt front； while Clara
pressed her cheek against his whisker。 〃Of course we shall give her up； if
you prefer it。〃
〃Of course we shall； papa。〃
The Doctor patted the two caressing heads。 〃These are my own two
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girls again；〃 he cried。 〃It has been my fault as much as yours。 I have
been astray； and you have followed me in my error。 It was only by
seeing your mistake that I have become conscious of my own。 Let us set
it aside； and neither say nor think anything more about it。〃
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CHAPTER XI。
A BLOT FROM THE BLUE。
So by the cleverness of two girls a dark cloud was thinned away and
turned into sunshine。 Over one of them； alas； another cloud was
gathering； which could not be so easily dispersed。 Of these three
households which fate had thrown together； two had already been united
by ties of love。 It was destined； however； that a bond of another sort
should connect the Westmacotts with the Hay Denvers。
Between the Admiral and the widow a very cordial feeling had existed
since the day when the old seaman had hauled down his flag and changed
his opinions； granting to the yachts…woman all that he had refused to the
reformer。 His own frank and downright nature respected the same
qualities in his neighbor； and a friendship sprang up between them which
was more like that which exists between two men； founded upon esteem
and a community of tastes。
〃By the way； Admiral；〃 said Mrs。 Westmacott one morning； as they
walked together down to the station； 〃I understand that this boy of yours in
the intervals of paying his devotions to Miss Walker is doing something
upon 'Change。〃
〃Yes； ma'am； and there is no man of his age who is doing so well。
He's drawing ahead； I can tell you； ma'am。 Some of those that started
with him are hull down astarn now。 He touched his five hundred last
year； and before he's thirty he'll be making the four figures。〃
〃The reason I asked is that I have small investments to make myself
from time to time； and my present broker is a rascal。 I should be very
glad to do it through your son。〃
〃It is very kind of you； ma'am。 His partner is away on a holiday； and
Harold would like to push on a bit and show what he can do。 You know
the poop isn't big enough to hold the lieutenant when the skipper's on
shore。〃
〃I suppose he charges the usual half per cent？〃
〃Don't know； I'm sure； ma'am。 I'll swear that he does what is right
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and proper。〃
〃That is what I usually payten shillings in the hundred pounds。 If
you see him before I do just ask him to get me five thousand in New
Zealands。 It is at four just now； and I fancy it may rise。〃
〃Five thousand！〃 exclaimed the Admiral； reckoning it in his own mind。
〃Lemme see！ That's twenty…five pounds commission。 A nice day's
work； upon my word。 It is a very handsome order； ma'am。〃
〃Well； I must pay some one； and why not him？〃
〃I'll tell him； and I'm sure he'll lose no time。〃
〃Oh； there is no great hurry。 By the way； I understand from what you
said just now that he has a partner。〃
〃Yes； my boy is the junior partner。 Pearson is the senior。 I was
introduced to him years ago； and he offered Harold the opening。 Of
course we had a pretty stiff premium to pay。〃
Mrs。 Westmacott had stopped； and was standing very stiffly with her
Red Indian face even grimmer than usual。
〃Pearson？〃 said she。 〃Jeremiah Pearson？〃
〃The same。〃
〃Then it's all off；〃 she cried。 〃You need not carry out that
investment。〃
〃Very well； ma'am。〃
They walked on together side by side； she brooding over some thought
of her own； and he a little crossed and disappointed at her caprice and the
lost commission for Harold。
〃I tell you what； Admiral；〃 she exclaimed suddenly； 〃if I were you I
should get your boy out of this partnership。〃
〃But why； madam？〃
〃Because he is tied to one of the deepest； slyest foxes in the whole city
of London。〃
〃Jeremiah Pearson； ma'am？ What can you know of him？ He bears
a good name。〃
〃No one in this world knows Jeremiah Pearson as I know him；
Admiral。 I warn you because I have a friendly feeling both for you and
for your son。 The man is a rogue and you had best avoid him。〃
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〃But these are only words； ma'am。 Do you tell me that you know him
better than the brokers and jobbers in the City？〃
〃Man；〃 cried Mrs。 Westmacott； 〃will you allow that I know him when
I tell you that my maiden name was Ada Pearson； and that Jeremiah is my
only brother？〃
The Admiral whistled。 〃Whew！ 〃 cried he。 〃Now that I think of it；
there is a li