his start, and making up his mind as to the choice of a profession. His father did not count for much in the way of an adviser; and self-reliant as he was, he felt he should be all the better for the sage counsels of experience. He had an infinite respect for the successful lord of Glenconan, and he knew that he was a favourite with his genial uncle. If he had vague fancies of some day making love to Miss Grace, it might be well that her father should be taken into his preliminary counsels, sharing the credit of his success or lightening the responsibility of failure. For Mr Venables, though thoroughly honest at heart, plumed himself on the shrewdness of his social diplomacy, and believed that you could hardly pay a more delicate compliment than in discreetly appealing for advice to a veteran's experience.
To do him justice, he had never for a moment dreamed of Moray offering him pecuniary help; and even with his ill-defined feelings as to that gentleman's heiress, his pride would have shrunk sensitively from accepting it. But Moray, as we know, viewed the matter differently, and was pleased, and at the same time somewhat curious, when Jack with unwonted solemnity requested half an hour's quiet conversation. He was anxious too, for his daughter was always in his thoughts.
"Does the young dog mean to make a proposal in form?" he asked himself. "Nothing is more natural than that he should have fallen in love; so with his coolness, I can almost fancy him capable of that. And yet I do him wrong: he is too much of a gentleman."
Jack's opening speech relieved his uncle's anxiety. The youth began abruptly, almost bluntly.
"You see, sir, it is high time I was doing something for myself; and I know nobody more capable of advising me."
"And I know nobody more willing to advise you; so go ahead, my good boy, and let me hear you state the case."
Which Jack did lucidly and succinctly. He had no money, or next to none; he saw no opening in any special direction; he might possibly get a place in some Government office; but he strongly objected to monotonous routine, and would never live contented on a moderate income – unless indeed he had failed again and again, and felt that the luck had gone fairly against him.
As he spoke, the feelings of Moray's own youth came back to his memory, and he heartily sympathised with the young fellow, who had a spirit so much like his own. Master Jack's seasonable frankness had done him more good than he fancied. But Moray was a prudent Scotchman, and did not care to commit himself hastily.
"What does your father say to it all? Of course you have spoken to him."
"My father is the best man in the world; and if he happened to be an archbishop with plenty of patronage, my father, if I assented to his wishes, would make things smooth enough. As it is, he would like me to go into the Church, and trust to treading quietly in his footsteps. But he has no livings to give away, and he never asked a favour in his life; and besides, too, I can't think it honest to mount the surplice when you don't feel the slightest vocation for the altar."
"Quite right, my boy! " Moray ejaculated.
"Then, again, seeing that the Church is too respectable for me, I might be an artist. No objection to that, I should say, on the
