As yet his mother could teach him, though in some
respects it was becoming a strain upon her acquirements and
powers. Mr. Benson saw this, but reserved his offers of help as
long as he could, hoping that before his assistance became
absolutely necessary, some mode of employment beyond that of
occasional plain-work might be laid open to Ruth.
In spite of the communication they occasionally had with Mr.
Farquhar, when he gave them the intelligence of his engagement to
Jemima, it seemed like a glimpse into a world from which they
were shut out. They wondered--Miss Benson and Ruth did at
least--much about the details. Ruth sat over her sewing, fancying
how all had taken place; and, as soon as she had arranged the
events which were going on among people and places once so
familiar to her, she found some discrepancy, and set-to afresh to
picture the declaration of love, and the yielding, blushing
acceptance; for Mr. Farquhar had told little beyond the mere fact
that there was an engagement between himself and Jemima which had
existed for some time, but which had been kept secret until now,
when it was acknowledged, sanctioned, and to be fulfilled as soon
as he returned from an arrangement of family affairs in Scotland.
This intelligence had been enough for Mr. Benson, who was the
only person Mr. Farquhar saw; as Ruth always shrank from the post
of opening the door, and Mr. Benson was apt at recognising
individual knocks, and always prompt to welcome Mr.
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