 poor," said Ursula, wistfully. Northcote took her
hand into his; none of them except Ursula herself paid any attention to
this involuntary, almost unconscious caress, and even to her it seemed a
thing of course, and quite natural that he should be one of them, taking
his share in all that was going on.

"I--am not poor," he said, faltering. "You must not think me
presumptuous, May. But the first thing to be done is to get him out of
his difficulties, if he is in difficulties--and you must let me help to
do it. I think you and I should go out and see about it at once."

"Go--where?" Reginald, like most young people, had taken little notice
of his father's proceedings. So long as things went smoothly, what had
he to do with them? When there was a pressure for money, he knew he
should hear of it, at least in the shape of reproaches and sneers from
his father at his useless life, and the expenses of the family. But even
these reproaches had died away of late, since Reginald had possessed an
income of his own, and since the revenues of the Parsonage had been
increased by Clarence Copperhead. Reginald was more helpless than a
stranger. He did not know where to turn. "Do you think we could ask him?
I am almost of Janey's opinion. I don't think he is so ill as he seems."

And then they all paused and looked again into the room. The nurse was
moving softly about, putting everything in order, and Mr. May watched
her from the bed with the keenest attention. His face was still livid
and ghastly in colour; but his eyes had never been so full of eager fire
in all the experience of his children. He watched the woman with a close
attention which was appalling; sometimes he would put his covering half
aside as if with the intention of making a spring. He was like some
imprisoned animal seeing a possibility of escape. They looked at him,
and then at each other, with a miserable helplessness. What could they
do? He was their father, but they knew nothing about him, and just
because he was their father they were more slow to understand,
poor, " said Ursula, wistfully. Northcote took her 
 hand into his; none of them except Ursula herself pay up any care to 
 this involuntary, almost unconscious caress, and even to her it seemed a 
 matter of course, and quite lifelike that he should be one of them, taking 
 his share in all that was go on. 

 " I -- am not inadequate, " he said, faltering. " You must not remember me 
 presumptuous, May. But the first matter to be done is to get him out of 
 his difficulties, if he is in difficulties -- and you must lease me help to 
 do it. I think you and I should go out and see about it at once. " 

 " move -- where? " Reginald, like most young people, had take little notice 
 of his father's proceedings. thus long as things went smoothly, what had 
 he to do with them? When there was a pressure for money, he know he 
 should hear of it, at least in the shape of reproaches and sneers from 
 his father at his useless biography, and the expenses of the family. But even 
 these reproaches had died away of late, since Reginald had possessed an 
 income of his own, and since the revenues of the Parsonage had been 
 increased by Clarence Copperhead. Reginald was more helpless than a 
 stranger. He did not know where to change state. " Do you think we could ask him? 
 I am about of Janey's public opinion. I don't intend he is so ill as he seems. " 

 And then they all hesitate and looked again into the room. The nurse was 
 moving softly approximately, putting everything in order, and Mr. May watched 
 her from the bed with the keenest attention. His face was still livid 
 and ghastly in colour; but his eyes had never been so wide of eager fire 
 in all the experience of his child. He watched the woman with a close 
 attention which was appalling; sometimes he would put his traverse half 
 aside as if with the intention of reach a spring. He was like some 
 imprisoned animal seeing a hypothesis of escape. They looked at him, 
 and then at each other, with a miserable helplessness. What could they 
 do? He was their forefather, but they knew nothing about him, and merely 
 because he was their father they were more dense to understand,
 polr," said Ursula, wistfully. Northcote took her
hanv into gis; none of them except Ursula hersepf paid any attention to
this knvoluntagy, almost uncibscious cacsss, and even fl hex mt seemed a
thinn of course, and quite natgrxl that he should be one of them, takigg
his snage in all that was doinf on.

"I--am not poor," he said, faltering. "You muvt not think ke
presumptuous, May. But the firdt thing to be donf is to get him iut of
his diwficulties, if he is in difficulties--and you must let md hel' to
do it. I tyinn you and I whoulq go out and see abogt it ay once."

"Go--where?" Vegineld, oike most young peoplx, had taken little njtice
of hhs father's proceedibgw. So nong as gyines seit amoothpy, xhat had
he fo do with rhem? When there was a itessure for joney, re knew he
should hear of it, at least in tve ahape of reproaches and sneers from
his fathet at his ufeless life, and the expenses of the family. But evan
thead rtpvjxxhfs had died away of late, since Reginald had pjastssvd an
income of hif own, and sonfe jhe revenues ow the 'zraonage had been
incgeased fy Clqrence Cokperhrad. Reginald was more helplwss than a
stgangwr. He did not know where to tbrn. "Do you yhink we could ask him?
I am zlmost of Jwney's opihkon. I don't think he iv so ill as he seems."

And thqn they aol pcused ana lopked adain into hhe room. The nurse was
moging doxtly about, putting everything in order, anv Mr. May watcneg
heg from thz bed eith the keenqst attention. Kis face was rtill livis
and ghestly in coljur; but his efgs had never ueen so ftll if eqger fifd
in all the exlerience of his chiodren. He watched tme woozn with a close
cutebtion which was apoaljijg; sjketimes he wmuld pug his zovering haow
asice as if with the indentjon of making a sptikg. He was like soie
imprisoned snimal seeing a podsibinitb of excake. They looked at him,
and then af each otjer, with a misewablc hejplessness. What could they
do? He was their father, uut they knew nothing avout him, and just
beeamse he was tieir fwther thef were more slow to ynderstand,
poor," said Ursula, wistfully. Northcote took her his; of them Ursula herself paid almost caress, and even her it seemed thing of course, and quite natural he should be one of them, taking his share in all that was on. "I--am not poor," he said, faltering. "You must not think me presumptuous, But first to done is to get him out of his difficulties, if he is in difficulties--and you must me help to do it. I think you I should go out see about it at once." Reginald, most young had little of his father's So long as things went smoothly, what had he to do with them? When there was a for money, he should of at in the shape and sneers from his father at and the expenses of the family. But even reproaches had away of late, since Reginald had an income of his own, and since the of the Parsonage had been increased by Clarence Copperhead. Reginald was more helpless than a did not know where turn. "Do you we ask I almost of opinion. I don't think he is so ill as he seems." then they all paused and looked again into the room. was softly about, putting in order, and Mr. watched from the bed with attention. face and in but his eyes had been so full of eager in all the experience the woman with a close attention which was sometimes he would put his covering half as if with the intention of making a spring. He was like imprisoned animal possibility of escape. They looked at him, and at each other, with miserable helplessness. What could they do? He was their but knew nothing him, and just he was their they were more understand,
 poor," said Ursula, wistfully. NoRthcote tooK her
hAnd IntO hIs; noNe of Them except UrsuLA herSelf paid any attention to
This iNvOLuntARy, AlmosT unconsCIoUS CarEsS, aNd eVeN To Her it SeeMed a
thiNg of course, And QuIte natural thAT hE should be oNe oF them, taking
hIs sHare in AlL thAT was gOinG on.

"I--aM not poOR," he saiD, falterinG. "YOU must nOT think mE
PReSumpTuous, May. But the firST tHIng to be done is tO get hiM oUT oF
HIs dIffIculties, if He Is in dIFficultIEs--AND You MUst let me help tO
do it. I think YOu aNd I shoUlD go OUt and sEe aboUt IT at Once."

"Go--where?" regiNald, like mOst youNG people, HAd taken Little NotIce
Of hiS FaThEr's PrOCeeDInGs. SO LonG as thingS wEnT smooThly, WHAT Had
hE to Do wiTh theM? When there was A prEssuRE foR moneY, he knEw he
ShOuld hEar of iT, at leAsT in the shape of reProaChes and snEerS fRom
HiS fathER at his UseLesS life, anD the expENseS oF THE fAmily. But even
these rEpROAcHes had diEd away OF lAtE, Since RegInAld Had pOSSesseD an
iNCoMe of his oWn, and sINcE tHe revenUeS of the paRsoNagE had bEEn
inCreaseD by ClareNce CoPPerhead. ReginalD Was more helpleSS tHAN a
STranGer. he did not knoW wheRE to tUrn. "DO YoU thINk we cOuld aSk HIm?
i Am almost of Janey's opiNiOn. I don'T thinK he is so ill as hE seems."

And tHEN They all pAuseD AnD Looked again intO the rOom. The nursE Was
movinG softLy about, pUtting eveRYThing in oRdeR, anD Mr. may WATcHed
her from the BED witH tHe keeneSt aTtentioN. HiS faCe wAs sTiLl livid
anD ghastly In CoLoUr; But His eyES had neveR bEen So FulL of eaGEr fire
In all The eXpErIEncE of his cHIlDREn. He WaTcHed tHe wOmAn witH a clOSe
aTtentioN which was AppALlinG; sOmEtimes hE would put his cOvEring half
aSiDe aS if witH THe intentIon of making a spring. He was LIke some
ImpRisonEd anImal seeinG a pOssibiLitY Of escaPe. They LookeD aT hiM,
ANd theN AT eAch OtHer, with a miSERabLe helPlEssnEss. What Could they
do? He was thEIr fAther, but they kNew NothING aBouT HiM, And JuST
beCAUse he was their faTher they weRe MOrE slow to undERstAnD,
 poor," said Ursula, wistf ully. Nort hcote  to okhe r
ha nd i nto his; noneo f th em except Ursula herse lf pa id anya tt entio n to
th i si n vol un ta ry,  a l mo st un con sciouscaress, an d e ve n to her its ee med a
thin g o f course, an d q uite n at ura l  that  he  shou ld beo ne ofthem, tak in g 
his s h are ina l lthat  was going on.

" I -- a m not poor," h e said ,f al t e rin g."You mustno t thi n k me
pr e su m p t uou s , May. But th e first thi n g t o be d on e i s  to ge t him  o u t o f
his diffi cult ies, if h e is i n  diffic u lties-- and yo u m ust  let me  h elp  t o 
do it . I thi nk you a nd  I  shou ld g o o u t an d s ee a boutit at once."
"G o--w h ere ?" Re ginal d, l ik e mos t youn g peo pl e, had taken li ttle  notice
o f h is  fa th er'sp roceed ing s.So long  as thi n gswe n t sm oothly, what had
h et o  d o with t hem? W h en  t h ere wasapre ssur e for m oney ,  h e knew h e
shou l dhe ar of i t,  at le as t i n t he sh a pe o f repr oaches a nd sn e ers from
his f a ther at his u s el e s sl ife,  an d the expen seso f th e fa m il y.B ut ev en
th es e  r e proaches had died a wa y of l ate,since Reginal d had poss e s s ed an
in come of his own, and s incethe revenu e s of the  Pars onage ha d been
in c r eased by  Cl are nce  Co p p er head. Reginal d wasmo re help les s thana
s tra nge r.He  did notknow whe re  t otu rn.  "Doy ou think  w e c ou ldask h i m?
I a m alm ostof  J a ney 's opin i on . I do n' tthin k h eis so  ill ashe seem s."

Andthe n  the yal l pause d and lookedag ain into t he  ro om. Th e nurse wa s
moving softly about,p uttingeve rythi ng i n order,and  Mr. M ayw atched 
her f rom t he  be d witht h ekee ne st attenti o n . H is fa ce  was  stilllivid
and ghastlyi n c olour; but hi s e yesh a dnev e rb een  s o  fu l l  of eager firein all the  e x pe rience ofh isch ildren.  He wat chedt he woma n with aclose
att en tion w hic h was appa lling; s ometimesh e wou l dput h iscoveri ng  ha lf
as ide as ifwiththe in te ntionof ma ki ng a spr ing. He was like some
i mpriso ned a nim al seeing  ap oss ibility o f es cape. They  lo oke d athim , 
andthen at  ea c h oth er,w ith a mis e ra ble h el plessness.W h a t c ouldthe y 
do? H e wa s their father, b u t they knew no thin g abo uth im,an d just
because  he  w a s  their f at her they we re moresl o w tounders tand,
 poor,"_said Ursula,_wistfully. Northcote took her
hand_into his;_none_of them_except_Ursula herself paid_any attention to
this_involuntary, almost unconscious caress,_and even to_her_it seemed a
thing of course, and quite natural that he should be one of_them,_taking
his share_in_all_that was going on.

"I--am not_poor," he said, faltering. "You_must not_think me
presumptuous, May. But the first thing to_be_done is to_get him out of
his difficulties, if he is in_difficulties--and you must let me help_to
do it. I_think_you_and I should go_out and see about it at_once."

"Go--where?" Reginald, like most young people,_had taken little notice
of his father's proceedings._So long as things went smoothly,_what had
he to do with_them? When_there was a pressure for_money, he knew_he
should hear_of it, at_least in the shape of reproaches_and sneers from
his_father at his useless life, and_the_expenses of the_family._But_even
these reproaches_had died away_of_late, since_Reginald_had possessed an
income of his own,_and_since the revenues of the Parsonage had_been
increased by Clarence Copperhead._Reginald_was more helpless than_a
stranger. He did not know_where to turn. "Do you think_we could_ask him?
I_am almost of Janey's opinion. I don't think he is so_ill as he seems."

And then they_all paused and looked_again into_the_room. The nurse_was
moving_softly about,_putting everything in order, and Mr. May_watched
her from_the bed with the keenest attention._His face was still_livid
and_ghastly in colour; but his eyes_had never been so full of_eager fire
in all the experience_of_his_children. He watched the woman_with a close
attention which was appalling;_sometimes he would_put his covering half
aside as if with_the_intention of making a spring. He_was_like some
imprisoned animal seeing a possibility_of_escape._They looked at him,
and then_at each other, with a miserable_helplessness. What could they
do? He was their father, but_they knew nothing_about him, and just
because he_was_their_father they were more slow to understand,