TURNS OF FORTUNE. 13

what you please with your wealth, but forgive
my sister.”

“You were always a fool, Sarah,” he replied
faintly and peevishly. ‘If I could do as I
please, I would take my property with me, for
you will surely spend it. But there is another
condition, auother promise you must give me.
Now, don’t interrupt me again. We will talk
of her by-and-bye, perhaps. As long as you
live, Sarah, as you value my blessing, you
must not part with anything in this room. You
will live on in the old house, or perhaps sell it,
and have a smaller; yet don’t spend money in
new furnishing—don’t; but never part with
anything in this room; never so much as a stick.”

This promise was willingly given ; for, inde-
pendently of her love for her father, Sarah Bond
had become attached to the inanimate objects
which had so long been before her. Again she
endeavoured to lead her father away from that
avarice which had corrupted his soul, and driven
happiness and peace from their dwelling. She
urged the duty of forgiveness, and pleaded hard
for her sister ; but, though the hours wore away,
she made no impression upon him. Utterly
unmindful of her words, he did not either in-
terrupt her or fall into his former violence. On
the contrary, he seemed involved in some intri-
cate calculation—counting on his fingers, or
casting up lines of imaginary figures upon the
coverlit. 3