"It is a cold night, Jane. We shall have a severe frost."
"Yes," she answered; "the water in the barrel is already freezing over."
"How is your mamma now?"
"Better, thank you. Margaret has gone up to help her to dress. She is coming down to tea."
Mr. Halliburton remained silent a minute, and then turned to Jane, his face glowing with satisfaction. "I have had a piece of preferment offered me to-day."
"Have you?" she eagerly said. "What is it?"
"Dr. Percy proposes that, from January, I shall take the Greek classes as well as the mathematics, and he doubles my salary. Of course I shall have to give closer attendance, but I can readily do that. My time is not fully employed."
"I am very glad," said Jane.
"So am I," he answered. "Taking all my sources of income together, I shall now be earning two hundred and eighty-three pounds a year."
Jane laughed. "Have you been reckoning it up?"