Doctor and Mrs. Jackson 143 



" Dear me," he said, turning suddenly upon 

 me, and losing his balance as he saw that some- 

 thing was wrong, " I hope they are not not " 

 and he stopped in some perplexity. 



41 No, Sir," said I. " My name is Johnson." 

 And I broke out into an irresistible peal of 

 laughter, in which even the old Scholar joined 

 me, but it was the last time I ever saw him 

 laugh. 



We cleared up the mystery for the discomfited 

 Vicar ; and the old Scholar went quietly to his 

 desk and wrote a cheque with a trembling hand. 



" I will give you fifty pounds," he said, " to 

 help to put the old church in good repair, and I 

 will trust you not to ' restore ' it. We have 

 neglected it too long. Dr. and Mrs. Jackson 

 must take their treasures elsewhere : but I trust 

 that they will long remain your parishioners." 

 And so they parted, each with a pleasing sense 

 of duty done : but the Vicar had high hopes 

 before him, while our dear old Scholar began to 

 nurse sad misgivings. I cheered him up and 

 bade him goodbye, and meant to tell the Vicar 

 all about him. But one thing and another 



