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JDBC Practical Guide for Java Programmers 1st Edition
Gregory D. Speegle Digital Instant Download
Author(s): Gregory D. Speegle
ISBN(s): 9781558607361, 0080551165
Edition: 1st
File Details: PDF, 7.75 MB
Year: 2001
Language: english
JDBC: Practical Guide
for Java Programmers
The Morgan K a u f m a n n Practical Guides Series
Series Editor Michael J. Donahoo

JDBC: Practical Guide for Java Programmers

Gregory D. Speegle

TCP/IP Sockets in Java: Practical Guide for Programmers

Kenneth L. Calvert and Michael J. Donahoo

TCP/IP Sockets in C: Practical Guide for Programmers

Michael J. Donahoo and Kenneth L. Calvert

For further i n f o r m a t i o n on these books and for a list of forthcoming titles,

please visit our Web site at www.mkp.com.
JDBC: Practical
Guide for Java
Programmers

Gregory D. Speegle
Baylor University

MORGAN KAUFMANN PUBLISHERS

A N I M P R I N T O F A C A D E M I C P R E S S

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ISBN: 1-55860-736-6
Contents

Preface vii
Using this Guide viii
JDBC versus Other Options x

Acknowledgments xiii

Introduction to JDBC 1
1.1 An Analogy 1
1.2 Connection/Statement Example 3
1.3 Database Example 7
1.4 Analogy Continued 9
1.5 Simple Example 11
1.6 API Summary 13
1.7 Going Beyond 13

Presenting Information to Users 15

2.1 JTables 15
2.2 JTable Example with AbstractTableModel 20
2.3 JDBC 2.0 ResultSets 23
2.4 Serializing ResultSets 28
2.5 API Summary 30
2.6 Going Beyond 31

Querying the Database 33

3.1 PreparedStatements 33
3.2 CallableStatements 36
3.3 API Summary 41
3.4 Going Beyond 41

V
vi Contents []

4 Updating the Database 43

4.1 Simple Updates 43
4.2 Batch Updates 45
4.3 Updating through ResultSets 48
4.4 API Summary 52
4.5 Going Beyond 53

5 Advanced JDBC Topics 55

5.1 Drivers 55
5.2 Metadata 58
5.3 Transactions 60
5.4 BLOBs 66
5.5 API Summary 72
5.6 Going Beyond 72

6 An E-commerce Example 73
6.1 Applets 73
6.2 Servlets 74
6.3 Multitiered Architecture Example 77
6.4 Going Beyond 95

7 How to Stay Current with JDBC 97

7.1 JDBC 3.0 97
7.2 javax.sql Package 98
7.3 The Rest ofjava.sql 99
7.4 JSP 99
7.5 Security 100

Appendix 101

References 107

Index 109
Preface

Software development is as m u c h art as science. Thus, in order to m a s t e r a particular tech-

nology, it is not sufficient to merely study it in texts; it is m a n d a t o r y to use the technology
in a project. Unfortunately, in the current educational system, it is difficult to provide b o t h
the theoretical concepts required for learning and the technical details required to complete
a project. Likewise, in today's fast-moving information technology industry, it is difficult for
practitioners to evaluate new developments because of the steep learning curve required to
u n d e r s t a n d each new area.
One example of a difficult technology to m a s t e r is JDBC, the application p r o g r a m m i n g
interface (API) for connecting Java p r o g r a m s with database systems. The API is quote l a r g e - - a
printout of the online d o c u m e n t a t i o n would be over 100 pages l o n g - - a n d nearly impossible to
cover in an academic course or for p r o g r a m m e r s to learn in their spare time. However, in order
to use Java p r o g r a m s to access the vast a m o u n t s of information in database systems, s t u d e n t s
and other p r o g r a m m e r s have to learn these details. Thus, this guide focuses on the i m p o r t a n t
concepts of JDBC, allowing users to digest key c o m p o n e n t s without having to initially wade
through myriad details.
The p u r p o se of this guide is to provide s t u d e n t s and practitioners with enough informa-
tion to create projects using JDBC. It is designed to get the reader up and running as soon as
possible. The possible uses for this book are many: It can be u s e d as a s upple me nta l text for
an upper-level or graduate database course or Java course. It can serve as a quick m e a n s to
evaluate JDBC as a possible alternative for an information technology company. Finally, it can
serve as an introduction to JDBC for p r o g r a m m e r s looking to learn new skills.
Since the guide is designed for quick exposure to JDBC, it a s s u m e s several capabilities
of the reader: 1) knowledge of SQL, at least at the level of simple SQL c omma nds ; 2) an
u n d e r s t a n d i n g of the basics of database design, such as schema, table, and foreign key
constraints; 3) enough familiarity with the operating s y s t e m to install any n e e d e d software
or find needed files; and 4) a basic u n d e r s t a n d i n g of Java. All of the Java related to JDBC is
explained and concepts like applets, frames, graphic user interface (GUI), classes, and so on

vii
viii Preface m

are presented as needed for completeness, but they are not explained in detail. If you need
additional information on Java, there are several good texts, such as [2].

Using this Guide

A c o m m o n lament among c o m p u t e r professionals unfamiliar with Java and databases is that
setting up the environment is not straightforward. For b o t h databases and Java, this is the price
for working on many different platforms. The guide Web site (cs.baylor.edu/~speegle/pockjdbc)
provides two different means for loading information into databases and some basic informa-
tion on making a system work with JDBC. However, not all systems are covered. It is important
to have access to individuals or reference materials for needed configuration information.
Specifically, you will need to know the name of the jar file containing a special JDBC class
called the Driver. You will also have to know the specific name of the Driver for your database.
All JDBC drivers require a structured name to find the database, and you will need to know this
for your database as well. The example ConnectionJDBC (see Section 1.2) uses this information
and can be easily modified to work in a different environment. Once ConnectionJDBC is modi-
fied, the rest of the examples should work with your driver/database combination, unless the
example uses a feature not s u p p o r t e d by your setup.

Programming Conventions
This guide uses several conventions for describing programming constructs. First, all methods
are followed by () to distinguish them from constants and variables. Second, all methods
that are part of the Java 2 Standard Edition, Version 1.3, are in italics, while methods in the
p r o g r a m examples are in plain text. Whenever a m e t h o d in the Software Development Kit (SDK)
is overridden, italics are used to refer to the original method, while plain text is used to refer
to the specific m e t h o d s in the p r o g r a m examples. Classes all begin with capital letters, with
Java classes again in italics. Constants are in all capital letters, and Java constants are in italics.
Database tables and fields are in plain type. The programs contain minimal comments, but each
line is numbered. Discussion in the text refers to the line numbers for easy reference. This is
intentional, as some of the constructs used in the examples need significant explanation and
should not be used without careful consideration of the issues.

Chapter Overview
All of the examples in this guide are motivated by a video rental business called eVid. The book
consists of seven chapters and an appendix. Chapter I introduces JDBC and the database used
by the p r o g r a m examples. It also contains an analogy that compares JDBC programming to
running a store. The examples in Chapter 1 introduce basic JDBC constructs needed by anyone
wanting to connect a database to a Java program. Chapter 2 presents four different ways to
display responses to a query from a database. Three of these examples use a GUI, while the
fourth stores the results as a file. Chapter 3 covers the different ways the same query can be
asked. Included in this chapter is an example of using stored procedures with JDBC. Chapter 4
 [] Using this Guide ix

ConnectionJDBC [.~Sg5.~.~55-SZ.g.;g-.~-..-..~-Z.55.~-.;5:5.~5-.~5.~:55.~:5555
I - I I

i ....... ' § ,
[ MetaDataJDBC11 GUIJDBC II SimpleJDBC 1[ SerializedJDBC ]
JTableJDBC II UpdateJDBC I lBatchUpdateJDBCl[JDBCTableModel]
§ i
' i
................ ........................

] PreparedJDBC II CallableJDBC IITableModelJDBCI] BlobJDBC ~-I[ BlobTableModel1--~ ServletApplet, 1::

i l
customer_has......]lZableModelJDBC2~...... tJDBC2TableModel]
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . : ...........

]Communication I
T :

]UpdateResultSetJDBC~-~ UpdateTableModel ] ]QueryServletJDBC]i

ITransacti~ ~". . . . . . . . . -I Transacti~176

l II place_Order ~......,~ UpdateServletJDBC ~
i
Figure !: Class Hierarchy Diagram

contains three programs examples showing how to u p d a t e the database. There are two special
update modes covered, including batch updates, in which m a n y u p d a t e s can be grouped into
one database update. Chapter 5 covers four advanced topics that might not apply to everyone,
but will prove crucial if an application requires the information. This chapter covers drivers in
detail, metadata, transactions, and binary large objects (as an example of an SQL3 data type).
Chapter 6 brings the entire book into focus by showing an application example. The application
contains an applet front-end and two servlet back-end classes, along with stored procedures
for a true three-tiered application. Chapter 7 briefly touches on the parts of JDBC not covered
in the rest of the guide, as well as some i m p o r t a n t additional issues. The appendix contains
code used by some of the other examples, but since the code is not directly JDBC related, it is
not discussed.
After you read Chapter 1, you can read the remaining chapters in almost any order. The
p r o g r a m examples do build on other pieces, but each chapter e m p h a s i z e s new concepts while
only briefly referencing information found elsewhere. As such, you can extract the information
you need in a nonlinear fashion. The classes defined in the examples are strongly interrelated.
Figure 1 shows how these relationships work.

Web Resource
There is a large amount of related information on the book's Web site, cs.baylor.edu/~speegle
/pockjdbc. All of the p r o g r a m examples can be downloaded, as well as the database example.
In addition, there are links to JDBC-related information, such as the Sun online JDBC API
documentation. Any errata and contributions by others will also be listed there.
X Preface []

Programming is an art, so it is likely that there are bugs in the examples pre s e nte d in
this guide. It could be that the bugs only appear in certain environments or under certain
conditions, but naturally I do not expect the code to be perfect. However, with your help, I'm
hoping it can become better. I look forward to finding out what works and what doesn't under
the m a n y different environments possible for JDBC. If you have any c o m m e n t s or suggestions
for improvement, please contact me through my email address, available on the Web site. Also,
on the site is a link to Reader Contributions, where such i m p r o v e m e n t s will be posted.

JDBC versus Other Options

The primary use for the examples in this guide will be allowing users to interact with a database
over the Internet. There are several competing m e c h a n i s m s to allow p r o g r a m m e r s to do this,
so a natural question is Why JDBC? (And related to that, Why this guide?) In order to answer
these questions, I will present some alternatives and point out several reasons for choosing
JDBC.

Common Gateway Interface. The c o m m o n gateway interface (CGI) is the oldest m e t h o d for
connecting the Internet to a database. Under CGI, a program, often written in a scripting
language such as Perl--but C and C++ are also possible--is executed by the Web server
whenever a request for a particular page is received. The Web server would pass to the progra m
all of the available information either as environment variables, or as standard input. The
p r o g r a m would generate the response, usually in Hypertext Markup Language (HTML), and the
data would be sent to the requesting site.
Databases can connect to the Internet with this framework by using embedded Structure
Query Language (SQL) in the C++ p r o g r a m or libraries for the scripting languages. Such a
p r o g r a m would be very similar to a typical embedded-SQL application, except that the results
would be HTML instead of either graphic data or a report.
The advantage of this approach is that the technology is widely supported. Almost all Web
servers support CGI and almost all databases s u p p o r t e m b e d d e d SQL in C or C++ programs.
The disadvantage of CGI systems is that the systems are not at all portable. The programs
would have to be modified if they are moved to another machine or if another database is
used. The CGI system is also not able to take advantage of any Web server features. Finally,
each call to a CGI p r o g r a m is a distinct process. This greatly increases the n u m b e r of processes
running on a server.

Active Server Pages. Another popular solution is based on using a combination of products
available from Microsoft. It is called active server pages (ASP). ASP allows the creation of
dynamic Web page content. ASP uses a scripting language, either VBScript or JavaScript to
create the Web page. In order for ASP to access a database, open database connectivity (ODBC)
and activeX data objects (ADO) are required. ASP can also use c o m p o n e n t object model (COM) to
create objects to improve the p erfo rm an ce of the code and to provide additional functionality.
Under ASP, a call is made to a Web server requesting a page with dynamic content. The
script in ASP is invoked, and any database calls are p a s s e d through to the database via ADO
 [] JDBCversus Other Options xi

and ODBC. The biggest advantage of ASP is that it is s u p p o r t e d by many Internet service
providers [1]. JDBC has two advantages over ASP-based systems. First, ASP has limited s u p p o r t
in operating systems other than Microsoft Windows. Second, the different components require
learning distinct paradigms in order to work with them successfully. ASP itself is scriptlike,
while ODBC is more like C++ and COM is yet a different object paradigm [6].

PHP. Another option is PHP, described on the Web site php.com as a "server-side cross-
platform, HTML embedded scripting language." PHP allows dynamic Web content by using
scripting c o m m a n d s similar to ASP and JSP. You can also connect to a database using PHP
c o m m a n d s and p e r f o r m SQL queries. PHP is s u p p o r t e d by m a n y Web servers and databases,
thus providing it with the benefits of the other approaches. JDBC has an advantage over PHP
in that complex objects can be passed to applets within the Java framework, while PHP is
restricted to HTML. (Further information is available on PHP at php.com.)
This Page Intentionally Left Blank
Acknowledgments

This work would not have been possible without the support of a large n u m b e r of people.
First and foremost, I want to thank my wife, Laura, and my children, Mark and Erica, who
were very patient putting up with a g r u m p y h u s b a n d and father during the writing of this
book. Next, I want to thank the technical editor of the Pocket Series, Dr. Jeff Donahoo, for
encouraging m e to write it in the first place. I would also like to thank the D e p a r t m e n t of
Computer Science faculty (cs.baylor.edu) and the School of Engineering and Computer Science
at Baylor University. Much of this work was accomplished during my sabbatical, and I could
not have completed it without that time to write. Thanks also goes to the people at Morgan
Kaufmann for publishing the book, especially Karyn Johnson, who had to put up with a lot of
ignorant questions. And I want to thank the Texas-Life Insurance Company, which has provided
projects and resources for students in my senior database class, including recent ones on JDBC.
They also provided resources that helped in the writing of this book. Finally, I want to thank
the reviewers, Guillermo Francia, Vijay Kumar, Paul Fortier, Salih Yurttas, Robert Brunner, Bill
Grosky, and Bharat Sharma, as well as the students already using this text, who have provided
invaluable insights into the p r o g r a m examples it offers.

xiii
This Page Intentionally Left Blank
 J D B C is an API defined in the java.sql a n d

javax.sql p a c k a g e s for c o n n e c t i n g an arbitrary

d a t a b a s e to a Java p r o g r a m . A l t h o u g h it is a c o m m o n m i s c o n c e p t i o n , JDBC is n o t an a c r o n y m
for anything. Like the Java D e v e l o p m e n t Kit (JDK), the JDBC API has b e e n r e v i s e d over time.
The p r o p o s e d final draft of JDBC 3.0 was r e l e a s e d on October 26, 2000, b u t this guide u s e s
the m o r e widely s u p p o r t e d JDBC 2.1 API. In the p r o p o s a l for JDBC 3.0, there are 19 interfaces,
6 classes, a n d 4 exception classes.
The very high ratio of interfaces to classes (3:1, as o p p o s e d to java.awt with a ratio of
1:5) allows the JDBC API to have t r e m e n d o u s flexibility. Effectively, every v e n d o r is allowed to
i m p l e m e n t the interfaces to b e s t c o m m u n i c a t e with a particular d a t a b a s e or set of d a t a b a s e s .
This is explained in m u c h m o r e detail in Section 5.1, b u t for now, the i m p o r t a n t p o i n t is that
.......
~_ u ~ t ~ , ~ with a .a.~. .t .~ , ao,_
lilliil.~iii~_ ~ tiull . . . .,_~,.
. be h a n d l e d by the JDBC API.

1.1 An Analogy
One of the b e s t ways to u n d e r s t a n d the basic w o r k i n g s of JDBC is to c o n s i d e r an analogy. Let's
s u p p o s e we o p e r a t e a small b u s i n e s s that sells gadgets. The g a d g e t s are p r o d u c e d in a factory,
across a river f r o m our store. W i t h o u t a b o a t or a bridge, t h e r e is no way for us to get to the
factory or for the factory to deliver g o o d s to the store.
This r e p r e s e n t s the situation with a d a t a b a s e a n d a Java p r o g r a m : the Java p r o g r a m is
the store, and the d a t a b a s e is the factory. W i t h o u t s o m e t h i n g to help, there is no way for the
Java p r o g r a m to m a k e r e q u e s t s of the database, a n d the d a t a b a s e c a n n o t c o m m u n i c a t e with
the Java p r o g r a m . In o r d e r for p r o d u c t s to get f r o m the factory to the store, it w o u l d be logical
to build a bridge over the river. The a n a l o g o u s piece of s o f t w a r e for the Java p r o g r a m a n d
d a t a b a s e is an interface called the driver. We load a specific driver into a Java p r o g r a m by
u s i n g the static m e t h o d forName() in the Class class. For example, to load the d e f a u l t driver
p r o v i d e d with Java 2 S t a n d a r d Edition, Version 1.3, we w o u l d u s e this m e t h o d :

Class. forName(" sun. jdbc. odbc. JdbcOdbcDriver") ;

2 Chapter 1: Introduction to JDBC I

Figure I. 1: Analogy with driver and connection.

Interestingly, this particular driver is called the "bridge," since it spans f r o m JDBC to ODBC
(open d a t a b a s e connectivity, a n o t h e r generic way to connect to a d a t a b a s e [7]). If the driver
can't be loaded, a ClassNotFoundException is thrown. Fortunately, with the s t a n d a r d driver, this
s h o u l d n ' t happen. Additionally, the driver can be loaded by setting the "jdbc.drivers" p r o p e r t y
of the Java virtual machine (JVM). The c o m m a n d line option to do this is

java -Djdbc. drivers=sun, jdbc. odbc. JdbcOdbcDriver SimpleJDBC

where SimpleJDBC is the n a m e of the executing class.
As m o d e r n rivers are c r o s s e d by m a n y bridges, there are m a n y drivers to connect Java
p r o g r a m s to databases. In fact, one Java p r o g r a m can connect to m a n y databases at the
same time. This requires a special class to m a n a g e the various drivers so that the correct
one is used. This class is called the DriverManager, and it is a class, not an interface. The
DriverManager class is i m p l e m e n t e d as part of Java 2 Standard Edition, Version 1.3, so it
is d a t a b a s e i n d e p e n d e n t . Furthermore, the DriverManager is not instantiated, but rather the
static m e t h o d s of the class are used. Whenever a driver m e t h o d is needed, the DriverManager
class selects the a p p r o p r i a t e driver f r o m all of the ones loaded. If no driver is appropriate, an
SQLException is thrown, usually "No suitable driver."
Continuing with the analogy, now that a bridge spans the river, it would be possible
to cross f r o m the store to the factory and vice versa. However, without a road, transporting
goods would be difficult at best. We need a road b e t w e e n the store and the factory to facilitate
t r a n s p o r t a t i o n . The "road" in JDBC is another interface, called Connection (see Figure 1.1).
Just as the road m u s t go across the bridge, the Connection interface m u s t be i m p l e m e n t e d
by an object g e n e r a t e d by the driver. Now the role of the DriverManager comes into play, as
the DriverManager automatically selects the correct driver for the desired connection. We
use the getConnection()method of the DriverManager class to find the right connection. The
 m 1.2 Connection/Statement Example

getConnection() m e t h o d r e q u i r e s a URL telling the DriverManager which d a t a b a s e a n d driver

to use. The getConnection() m e t h o d optionally p r o v i d e s a u s e r n a m e a n d p a s s w o r d for the
database. For example,
DriverManager. getConnection( "jdbc:odbc:jdbc_book", "jdbc_user", "guest") ;
tells the DriverManager we w a n t a driver that can bridge f r o m JDBC to ODBC a n d that
can access the d a t a b a s e "jdbc_book" as u s e r "jdbc_user" with p a s s w o r d "guest." If we have
only l o a d e d the basic driver p r o v i d e d with the Java 2 S t a n d a r d Edition, Version 1.3, the
DriverManager will a t t e m p t to use that driver for the u s e r "jdbc_user" with p a s s w o r d "guest."
There are m a n y possible p r o b l e m s that can arise f r o m the use of the getConnection()
m e t h o d . These p r o b l e m s all t h r o w various SQLExceptions. Unfortunately, it is c o m m o n to get
fairly u n h e l p f u l e x c e p t i o n m e s s a g e s with t h e s e t y p e s of p r o b l e m s . For example, u s i n g the
s t a n d a r d driver with MS Access u n d e r Windows 2000 p r o d u c e s the m e s s a g e "IO Error" w h e n
the u s e r n a m e is incorrect. It's a g o o d idea to r u n the p r o g r a m with i n t e n t i o n a l e r r o r s in o r d e r
to learn what e r r o r m e s s a g e s a particular d r i v e r / d a t a b a s e will generate.
Once the bridge a n d the r o a d are b o t h complete, we can n o w safely drive to the factory
a n d place our order. The JDBC equivalent to driving to the f a c t o r y is the Statement interface,
a n d an SQL q u e r y is our order. We create a Statement f r o m our Connection object. For example,
if d b C o n n e c t is the n a m e of our Connection object, t h e n

dbConnect, createStatement () ;
r e t u r n s a Statement object.

1.2 Connection/Statement Example

The code e x a m p l e for m a k i n g c o n n e c t i o n s to a d a t a b a s e is the class ConnectionJDBC. It con-
tains several similar m e t h o d s for doing the s a m e thing. This allows us to use the class with
different d a t a b a s e / d r i v e r c o m b i n a t i o n s . The p r i m a r y m e t h o d in the class is called m a k e C o n n e c -
tion(). The m e t h o d always r e t u r n s a Connection object that is the result of the DriverManager
m e t h o d getConnection. In o r d e r for this e x a m p l e to work, a d a t a b a s e m u s t be installed a n d the
a p p r o p r i a t e driver files m u s t be available to the JVM. Section 1.3 p r o v i d e s i n f o r m a t i o n o n the
d a t a b a s e we u s e in this guide. Consult the s y s t e m d o c u m e n t a t i o n for o t h e r d r i v e r / d a t a b a s e
combinations.

ConnectionJDBC

import java. sql. * ;

public class ConnectionJDBC {

public Connection makeConnection()

throws SQLException {
4 Chapter 1" Introduction to JDBC m

7 try {
8 Class.forName("sun.jdbc.odbc.JdbcOdbcDriver");
9 } catch (ClassNotFoundException e) {
10 throw new SQLException("Unable to load driver class");
11 }
12 return DriverManager.getConnection("jdbc:odbc:jdbc_book");
13
14
15 public Connection makeConnection(String URL)
16 throws SQLException {
17 return DriverManager. getConnection(URL) ;
18 }
19
20 public Connection makeConnection(String DriverName, String URL)
21 throws SQLException {
22 try {
23 Class.forName(DriverName);
24 } catch (ClassNotFoundException e) {
25 throw new SQLException("Unable to load driver class");
26 }
27 return DriverManager.getConnection(URL);
28
29
3O public Connection makeConnection(String URL, String username,
31 String password)
32 throws SQLException {
33 return DriverManager. getConnection(URL, username, password) ;
34 }
35
36 public Connection makeConnection(String DriverName, String URL,
37 String username, String password)
38 throws SQLException {
39 try {
4O Class.forName(DriverName);
41 } catch (ClassNotFoundException e) {
42 throw new SQLException("Unable to load driver class");
43 }
44 return DriverManager.getConnection(URL,username,password);
45
46
47 public void closeConnection(Connection c, Statement s)
48 {
49 try {
5O if (s != null) s.close();
51 if (c != null) c.close();
52 } catch (SQLException sqlex) {}
53
 m 1.2 Connection/Statement Example

54
55 public static void main(String args[]) {
56 ConnectionJDBC CJ = new ConnectionJDBC();
57 Connection dbConnect = null;
58 Statement dbStatement = null;
59 try {
60 switch (args.length) {
61 case 0 : dbConnect = CJ.makeConnection();
62 break;
63 case 1 : dbConnect = CJ.makeConnection(args[O]);
64 break;
65 case 2 : dbConnect = CJ.makeConnection(args[O],args[l]);
66 break;
67 case 3 : dbConnect = CJ.makeConnection(args[O],args[l],args[2]);
68 break;
69 case 4 : dbConnect = CJ.makeConnection(args[O],args[l],args[2],
70 args[3]);
71 break;
72 default :
73 System.out.println("Using the default driver");
74 dbConnect = CJ.makeConnection();
75 }
76 System.out.println("Made a connection!");
77 dbStatement = dbConnect.createStatement();
78 System.out.println("Made a statement!");
79 } catch (SQLException sqlex) {
80 System.out.println(sqlex.getMessage());
81 }
82 finally {
83 CJ.closeConnection(dbConnect,dbStatement);
84 System.out.println("Closed the connection.");
85 }
86
87

ConnectionJDBC

The five v e r s i o n s of m a k e C o n n e c t i o n ( ) are in lines 5-45. Each of the five m e t h o d s calls

the getConnection()method. In the first three cases (lines 12, 17, a n d 27), the m e t h o d receives
a p a r a m e t e r describing the database. For the d e f a u l t database, this string is j d b c : o d b e : j d b c _
book (line 12). In all o t h e r cases, the string is p a s s e d in as a p a r a m e t e r . The d o c u m e n t a t i o n with
a JDBC driver s h o u l d c o n t a i n the specifications for this string, a n d a d d i t i o n a l i n f o r m a t i o n can
be f o u n d in Section 5.1.
In the o t h e r two calls to the getConnection() m e t h o d (lines 33 a n d 44), in a d d i t i o n to
the d a t a b a s e URL, the m e t h o d accepts a u s e r n a m e a n d p a s s w o r d to be sent to the database.
Other documents randomly have
different content
Clarice, who had rejoiced at the apparently virile change, knew that
Ferdy was as weak and wavering as ever. He was a weed to voyage
with every current, a feather to be wafted hither and thither, on
every breath of wind.

"I should have been the man," said Clarice, suddenly rising, and
placing her hands on her hips with a throw-back of her shoulders.

"Eh--er--what's that you say?" asked Ferdy, absently.

His sister came to where he stood, and placed her face beside his. "I
should have been the man, and you the woman," she declared, as
they looked at their delicate, youthful faces in the mirror. "You and I
are alike, Ferdy, but there is a difference."

"If we are alike, how can there be a difference?" asked the wise
youth, pettishly.

"Can't you see? I can. Look at my chin, and at your own. Gaze into
my eyes, see the firmness of my lips. There's a dash of the man in
me, Ferdy, and much of the woman about you."

Baird dropped into an armchair and kicked his long legs in the air
with a light laugh. "I suppose you say that, because I'm like you."

"You aren't like me. I wish you were."

"Come, now--your face and mine. Where's the difference?"

"In the points I have named," she replied, quickly. "I am not talking
of the physical, Ferdy. I know you are brave enough, dear, and can
hold your own with anyone, where fighting is concerned."

"I should jolly well think I could," muttered Baird, bending his arm
and feeling his muscle. "I've never been licked in a fight yet."
"But," went on Clarice, with emphasis, "it's your nature I talk of. You
are so weak--so very, very weak."

"I'm not," snapped Ferdy, flushing. "I always have my own way."

"Ah, that's obstinacy, not strength. Because a person said no, you
would say yes, and vice-versa. But you are the prey of your own
passions, Ferdy. You deny yourself nothing."

"Why should I?"

"Because it is by denial--by self-denial, that we make ourselves

strong, Ferdy. Why, any woman could twist you round her finger."

"Any woman can twist any man, you mean. If you bring the sex
question into the matter, Clarice, I admit that man is the weaker
vessel. A woman can do what she likes with a man. Women rule the
world, and why they should bother about this suffragette business,
beats me."

"All men can't be twisted by women, Ferdy. Dr. Jerce, for instance."

"Pooh. He's so wrapped up in medicine and science that he hates

the sex--your sex, I mean."

"I don't think so," said Clarice, recalling a scene on the previous
night. "Dr. Jerce is a man like other men in that way, only he is
sufficiently strong to hold his own with women."

"I say," cried Ferdy, restlessly, "what's all this chatter about?"

"About you, if you'll only listen," said his sister, looking down at the
weak frowning face. "I'm worried about you, Ferdy. When you were
here with me, I could manage you, but since you came back from
that trip a year ago, and went in for medicine, you have changed for
the worse."
"I don't see that," said Baird, sulkily.

"I do. There are lines on your face, which should not be there at
your age. Look at the black circles under your eyes. You're getting
the look of a man who stops up night after night, and you do."

"Who says that?"

"Dr. Jerce says it. You don't attend to your work, he says. You are
always at music-halls; you take more drink than is good for you; you
gamble above what you can afford, and I dare say that you make
love to all manner of women."

"Oh, I say, you shouldn't say that last."

"Because I'm a girl--an unmarried woman," flashed out Clarice.

"What rubbish! I'll say what I think to you, who are my only brother
and my twin. Do you think that I am going to see you ruin yourself
with wine and women and cards, simply because there are things a
girl is not supposed to know? I am twenty-three. I have had endless
responsibility since Uncle Henry took ill, so I am quite able to speak
out and to save you if possible."

Ferdinand rose and flung his cigarette into the fire. "I won't have
you talk like that to me," he declared, his voice thick with anger. "I
am a man, and you are a woman."

"The reverse, I think," retorted Clarice, bitterly.

"You have got far too high an opinion of yourself," foamed Ferdy,
kicking the logs angrily, "and when Uncle Henry dies, I'll show you
who is to be master here."

Clarice ignored the latter part of this speech. "Why do you suggest
that Uncle Henry may die?"

"He's ill--he can't last long," stammered Ferdy, evasively.

"How do you know? How does Dr. Jerce know? He told me himself
that he could not understand this strange illness, and could not say
whether Uncle Henry would live or die. Do you call yourself more
clever than Dr. Jerce?"

"I have studied medicine, and--"

"For twelve months, and what you call study, I call pursuit of
pleasure. You are wasting your life, and there is no one to stand
between you and ruin, but me. I dare not tell Uncle Henry what Dr.
Jerce reported to me, as his health is too delicate to stand shocks."

"You can tell him what you like," mumbled Ferdy, knowing very well
that he was safe in giving the permission.

"I shall tell him nothing, but," added Clarice, with emphasis, "I'll tell
Prudence, if you don't mend."

Ferdy clenched his hands and his eyes flashed.

"Prudence won't believe one word of what you say," he declared,

angrily. "She loves me, as I love her, and--"

"Do you love her?" asked Clarice, sharply, and Ferdinand recoiled
before the look in her eyes. "Dr. Jerce--"

"What has he dared to say?"

"Nothing more than what I have told you," said the girl, "but no man
who is behaving as you are, can possibly love a woman truly."

"Oh, bother, leave these sort of things alone. You are a girl, and you
don't understand. As to Jerce, he has his own secrets."

He turned on his heel to leave the room, but Clarice swiftly placed
herself in his way. "Now, what do you mean by that?" she asked,
wondering if Jerce had related the scene of the previous night in
order to enlist Ferdy on his side to forward his suit.

"Well," mumbled the young man, pausing and fishing out another
cigarette from mere habit, "there's no reason why I shouldn't tell
you about the row. Jerce never said I wasn't to."

"What row--as you call it?"

"I don't know what else you would call it," retorted Ferdy, who had
regained his good humour, with the shallow capacity of his nature. "I
don't know who that chap in grey can be, but Jerce knows. And
what's more, I believe he hunted him out last night. I was going to
town with Jerce and he said that I could stop down here for a couple
of days. If he wasn't after that grey chap, why didn't he want my
company?"

Clarice listened to all this with a puzzled expression. "I don't

understand a word you're talking about," she said, tartly; "what grey
man--what row?"

"Well," drawled Baird, lighting his cigarette, and strolling back to his
seat, "it's like this." And he related all that had taken place on the
terrace, and described the man with the criss-cross scar on his face,
ending up with a few comments of his own. "And Jerce must know
the chap, for he wouldn't let me go for the police. Oh, Jerce has his
secrets, and if a chap has to knock him down and go through his
pockets, those secrets ain't respectable--that's all I have to say. A
nice chap Jerce is, to talk of my being wild, when he's old enough to
know better, and has larks like this."

"Why don't you tell him so?" asked Clarice, sarcastically.

"Oh, it's none of my business," replied Ferdy, airily. All the same his
delicate colour came and went in a way which showed Clarice that
he was afraid of Dr. Jerce. And very rightly, too, considering their
relative ages and different positions in the world.
"It's a strange thing," said Clarice, thoughtfully, kilting up her dress
and resting one slender foot on the fender. "I wonder Dr. Jerce didn't
speak of the matter."

"Oh, he wants you to have a good opinion of him, so doesn't give

away his little wickednesses."

"Ferdy!" said Miss Baird, sharply, for his flippant tone jarred on her,
"you have no right to speak like this of Dr. Jerce. Everyone who
knows him, is aware that his character is of the highest. He is
charitable and attends to poor people in some London slum for
nothing. No one can breathe a word against him. A man like Dr.
Jerce would not hold the position he does, or expect to be knighted,
unless his reputation and life were spotless. However, there's an
easy way of learning the truth. Dr. Jerce is coming down again to-
morrow to consult with Dr. Wentworth over Uncle Henry's case; I'll
tell him what you say!"

"No! no!" This time Ferdinand went quite white and spoke with dry
lips. "You'll only get me into a row. I dare say Jerce is all right. I
never heard anyone speak of him save with the highest praise, and
he has been a good friend to me. I don't want to quarrel with him."

"There is no need that you should do so, Ferdy. All I mean to ask Dr.
Jerce is, why the man assaulted him and went through his pockets."

"He says that he doesn't know," said Ferdy gruffly.

"You say that he knows the man?"

"He might--that is, I think so. Anyhow, he wouldn't let me go for the
police, so it looks as though he didn't want a public row. But you'd
better not say anything, Clarice. Jerce may get his back up at my
telling you. He'd row me. I don't want that. Jerce is a brick, you
know, Clarry. He's lent me money when Uncle Henry kept me short."
Remembering the hopes expressed by the doctor, Clarice was vastly
indignant at this revelation, and faced her weak twin with clenched
hands. "How dare you borrow money from Dr. Jerce?" she said, and
her eyes flashed. "Uncle Henry gives you all you want."

"He doesn't," said Ferdy, sulkily. "He allows me next to nothing. I call
him a skinflint. What's two hundred a year?"

"Very good pocket-money. He pays your bills, keeps you for nothing,
and gives you four pounds a week to waste. Yet with all that, you
borrow from Dr. Jerce. How much have you had?"

"That's my business."

"Mine also. Tell me, or I'll tell Uncle Henry."

"Only a few hundreds," snarled Ferdy, reluctantly.

"A few hundreds!" Clarice sank into her seat and looked at Ferdy
with consternation. "And how on earth have you spent so much, in
addition to your own income?"

"Money will go," lamented Ferdy. "Whenever I break a pound, I

never have any left within the hour."

"You'll bring disgrace on us some day," said Clarice, with a pained

look. "Why didn't you come to me?"

"You're so high and mighty. You wouldn't have understood."

"I understand this much, that Dr. Jerce is the last man I should wish
you to have money from."

"I thought you liked him."

"I did--I do, and I respect him. All the same, I wish you hadn't
borrowed from him." Ferdinand rose and kicked the logs again in his
petulant fashion. "I must have money somehow to enjoy myself."
"You have four pounds a week."

"What's that--I want fifty. And after all, it's my own money. When we
come of age in two years we each have two thousand a year. I don't
see why Uncle Henry should grudge me cash in the way he does. If
you don't want to spend it, I do. And what's more," cried Ferdy,
working himself into a rage, "I'm going to."

"You shan't spend Dr. Jerce's money," said Clarice, and her mouth
shut firmly, while her eyes glittered like steel.

"How can you stop me from getting it?" scoffed Fred, uneasily. "I
can ask him to refuse you more. Dr. Jerce will do anything for me."

Ferdy scowled. "I know that," he said, moodily.

"He hinted that he was in love with you. If you were only a decent
sort, Clarry, you would marry him and help me. He's got heaps of
tin, and you'd be Lady Jerce some day, you know."

"Oh!" said Clarice, and her voice was as hard as her eyes, "did Dr.
Jerce ask you to speak to me?"

"No! no, on my honour he didn't; but he hinted that he'd like you to
be his wife. I never said anything."

"Not even that I am engaged to Anthony Ackworth."

Ferdy looked up in genuine surprise. "Oh, by Jove, you ain't!"

"Yes, I am. He asked me to become his wife only six days ago. I
consented, and we are engaged. Uncle Henry knows, and I intended
to tell you later. I thought you might have guessed. Apparently you
did not, being so wrapped up in yourself. I'm glad of that, as I want
to tell Dr. Jerce myself. You would only bungle the matter."
"Ackworth's only a gunner chap," muttered Ferdinand, in dismay.
"You had much better marry Jerce. He could help me, you know."

"With more money, I suppose."

"Well, not exactly that," confessed Ferdy, with an engaging air of

candour, "though I shouldn't mind asking him for a fiver, if I were
hard up, which I generally am. But when I become a doctor, Jerce
could retire and hand over his patients to me, you know. Oh, there
are lots of ways in which he could be useful to me, if you are nice to
him. If you ain't, he may cut up rough, and Jerce isn't pleasant when
he's in a rage, I can tell you."

"Oh!" said Clarice, contemptuously, "so to please you, I am to marry

a man old enough to be my father."

"He's only fifty-five, and rich, and he'll have a title soon."

"So will Anthony, if it comes to that. His father is a baronet."

"A poor baronet," sneered Ferdy, with emphasis. "I'll have two
thousand a year of my own when I am twenty-five," said the girl,
ignoring the speech, "and Anthony has his pay and an allowance
from his father. We will be able to live very comfortably on what we
can get. Besides, Uncle Henry likes Anthony, and is delighted that I
should marry him. As to Dr. Jerce--" she hesitated.

"What about him?" murmured Baird, nervously.

"I'll inform him of my engagement, when he comes down again.

Also, I'll ask him about this row, as you call it, and request him to
refuse you more money."

"You'll ruin me," gasped Ferdinand, on whose forehead the drops of

perspiration were standing thickly.

"In what way?"

"Jerce will chuck me. He can be a beast when he likes."

"Let him be a beast," said Clarice, impatiently, "although I think you

exaggerate. He'll say nothing. He has no right to say anything."

"Clarice!" He caught her hands. "For my sake you must marry

Jerce."

The girl released herself, angrily. "What do you mean by that?"

"Jerce could help me so much," said Ferdy, feebly.

"Is that all?" asked Clarice, keeping her eyes steadfastly fixed on the
weak, handsome face of her brother.

"Of course--of course," he replied, testily. "What else could there be,
you stupid girl?"

"I don't know," she said, coldly, "but I do know, Ferdy, that you
never by any chance tell the whole truth. You always keep
something back, and that makes it difficult to know how to advise
you."

"I don't ask for advice."

"No," she answered, bitterly, "you ask for a sacrifice which in your
egotistic eyes is no sacrifice. And you are keeping something back
from me. What reason have you to be afraid of Dr. Jerce?"

"I have no reason. I never said that I was afraid."

"And yet----"

"And yet--and yet," he broke in, snappishly, "you are making a

mountain out of a mole-hill. I only suggest that you should marry--"

"Marry a man I don't love. My word is passed to Anthony."

"Clarice?"

The girl pushed him aside and opened the door. "That is enough. Go
your own silly way, but don't ask me to come with you."

"Ah! You are always selfish."

"Always," said Clarice, sadly, and thinking of the many small

sacrifices she had made for the fool before her, "therefore, I marry
the man I love!" and she hastened from the room, unwilling to break
down before one who would take such emotion as a sign of yielding.

Ferdy, left alone, kicked over the breakfast table, and vented his
rage on the furniture generally. The room was quite a wreck by the
time his feelings were completely relieved.

CHAPTER IV

A MYSTERY

The housekeeper of Mr. Horran's establishment was a small,

withered-up old woman, who looked like the bad fairy of a D'Aulnoy
story. She had nursed Clarice and Ferdy, and their father before
them, so she was deeply attached to the twins. Of course, Ferdy
being the more selfish of the two obtained all her affection, and
although she was fond of Clarice, she lavished the treasures of her
love on Ferdy, who gave her in return more kicks than half-pence.
Mrs. Rebson was quite seventy years of age, and her face resembled
a winter apple, so rosy and wrinkled it was. She must have had
French blood in her old veins, for her vivacity was wonderful, and
her jet black eyes were undimmed by age. Nothing ever seemed to
put her out of temper, and her devotion to the twins had in it
something of a religion.

Being thus bright and cheerful, it was strange that Mrs. Rebson
should cherish a dreadful little book, which was called The Domestic
Prophet, full of dismal hints. Published at the beginning of each year,
it prophesied horrors for every month, from January to December,
and was as lachrymose as the Book of Lamentations. Not a single,
cheerful event enlivened the year from this modern prophet's point
of view, and although the book (consisting of twenty-four pages)
was bound in green paper, the cover should certainly have been
black, if only for the sake of consistency. Over this lamentable
production, Mrs. Rebson was bending, when Clarice entered fresh
from her encounter with Ferdy.

"What is the matter, lovey?" asked the old woman, pushing up her
spectacles on her lined forehead, "there's nothing to worry about. I
have ordered the dinner, and seen to the Christmas provisions, and
Mr. Horran's in a sweet sleep, and your good gentleman is coming
this afternoon to kiss your bonny face, bless it, and bless him."

Clarice sat down with a disconsolate air. "It's Ferdy."

"Now, Miss," Mrs. Rebson's voice became sharper, and her manner
quite like that of the nurse who put the twins to bed years before,
"how often have I told you not to quarrel with your dear brother, as
is bone of your bone and flesh of your flesh and the sweetest
tempered baby I ever nursed?"

"Nanny!" Clarice called Mrs. Rebson by this childish name for the
sake of old times, and perhaps from custom. "You are quite crazy
about Ferdy, and he doesn't deserve your love."

"Indeed he does, Miss, and I wonder at your talking in that way. Oh,
fie, Miss, fie," shaking a gnarled finger, "this is jealousy."
"It's common sense, Nanny," retorted Clarice, and detailed what Dr.
Jerce had said about Ferdy, and what Ferdy had said to her. Mrs.
Rebson listened to all this, quite unmoved. "But, of course, you
won't believe a word I say against your idol," ended Clarice, bitterly.

"Because everyone's against him," cried Mrs. Rebson, wrathfully.

"Oh, that Jerce man--I'll Jerce him if he dares to speak against
Master Ferdy, who is an angel."

"There are two kinds of angels, Nanny, white and black."

"Master Ferdy's the kind of angel that plays a harp," said the old
dame, with dignity, "and why shouldn't the poor boy amuse
himself?"

"He'll get into trouble unless he's more careful. Drinking and
gambling and sitting up all night with fast people."

"I don't believe a word of it," said Mrs. Rebson, energetically.

"Dr. Jerce says--"

"He's a liar, Miss, and don't come to me with tales of that angel. Why
can't you hold your tongue, and think of your future with Mr.
Ackworth, who is so fond of you and I hope you'll deserve his
fondness."

"I'm fond of Ferdy, too, Nanny, and I want him to grow up to be a

good man."

"He is a good man," said the old nurse, obstinately, "and there's no
more growing of that sort needed. Mr. Horran, drat him, keeps the
poor boy short of money."

"Two hundred a year--"

"What's that, when Master Ferdy will have two thousand?"

"He won't become possessed of that for two years, Nanny.
Meanwhile, he has no right to gamble."

"I don't believe he does. Why, he spends all his money in buying
books about health and medicine. I gave him five pounds the other
day to get some."

"Oh, Nanny, your savings again, when you promised me you

wouldn't."

"I can do what I like with my own, Miss Clarice. Besides, I have
made Master Ferdy my heir, so why shouldn't he have the money
now, if he likes, bless him."

"Nanny," said Clarice, seriously. "You are ruining Ferdy."

"Me!" Mrs. Rebson gave an indignant screech. "Me ruin the boy I
love so dearly. Jealousy again, Miss Clarice. Go and read the
Commandments, Miss, and weep for your sins."

"I don't think I'll find 'Honour thy brother' among the
Commandments, Nanny," said Clarice, the humorous side of the
business striking her; "however, I see it's useless to think you will
blame Ferdy."

Mrs. Rebson looked round the comfortable little room, and removed
her spectacles. "My dear," she said, in a rather shaky voice, "if I
must speak plainly to you, I am rather put out about Master Ferdy.
Not that it's his fault," added the nurse, hurriedly, "but when one
sees him being led away by that hussy--"

"Who is that?" asked Clarice, anxiously.

"Mrs. Dumps' daughter. Zara, she calls herself, when I know that she
was christened simple Sarah. Not that she is simple, my dear, for a
more cunning fox isn't to be found, with her red hair--dyed--and her
cream complexion and red cheeks, which are nothing but pearl-
powder and rouge, drat her, and her mother also, for a fool!"

Clarice knew Mrs. Dumps, and also had frequently seen Sarah
Dumps, but had never for one moment thought that Ferdy would be
attracted by such a bold, chattering girl, who flirted indiscriminately
with every man, good-looking or plain. "I thought Sarah had gone to
London."

"So she has!" said Mrs. Rebson, fiercely, "she went over a year ago,
and with her good looks--all paint and dye--and brazen impudence--
ah, that's genuine enough--she pushed her way on to the stage."

"So Mrs. Dumps told me," said Miss Baird. "Sarah is dancing and
singing at some West-end music-hall."

"She is that, and fine dancing it is, I don't doubt--the hussy. I'd
rather see a child of mine in her grave than capering as a butterfly
before gentry."

"Butterflies don't caper, Nanny."

"This one does," sniffed the old woman, viciously. "She calls herself
Butterfly on the stage."

"The Butterfly?"

"No--just Butterfly, when she ought to be called Cat. Well, then, my

love, Mrs. Dumps, who is a cousin of mine (and I don't think much
of her dressing and screeching like a peacock) called to see me the
other day, and told me that Master Ferdy had been seeing Sarah--I
can't bring myself to call her Zara--such affectation. He's been
driving and talking and walking, and giving her presents, and Mrs.
Dumps, who is a born fool, thinks that Master Ferdy means
marriage."

Clarice started to her feet. "Oh, Nanny!"

"What's the use of saying, 'Oh, Nanny,' like that?" snapped Mrs.
Rebson. "You know what an angel Master Ferdy is, and how easily a
pretty face can beguile him--not that Sarah is pretty, the minx. It's
her fault, and I'd tar and feather her and ride her on a rail if I had
my way. Why can't she leave the boy alone? I know you are jealous
of Master Ferdy, Miss Clarice, but as you have a head on your
shoulders--I don't deny that, lovey--it is only right that you should
know the truth. I can't tell Mr. Horran, as there would be trouble."

Clarice went to the window, and looked out into the white, cold
world, with her thoughts fixed anywhere but on the scenery. In fact,
she was wondering what was best to be done about Ferdinand, who
evidently had become entangled with Sarah Dumps. Dr. Jerce
apparently knew of this entanglement, hence Ferdy's fear of him,
and dread as to what he might have said. It was useless to talk to
Ferdy, who would only go his own way, being obstinate, as all weak
people are; while Mr. Horran was too ill to be told of the business.
There remained Anthony and Dr. Jerce to help her. The second of
these had made things unpleasant by wanting to marry her, so it
was difficult to appeal to him for aid. He might demand his price.
Finally, in two minutes, Clarice made up her mind to enlist Captain
Ackworth on her side. He was not coming this afternoon, as Mrs.
Rebson had said, but the next day, so she could speak to him then.
Meanwhile, it would be best to be agreeable to Ferdy and keep him
at home, lest he should go back to town and to this dreadful girl.
Not that Sarah Dumps really was very dreadful, for being shrewd,
she was quite respectable, and able to take excellent care of herself.
But, naturally, Clarice thought she was dreadful, when Ferdy was in
her toils--though what Sarah Dumps could see in poor, weak Ferdy,
passed Clarice's comprehension.

"Well, deary?" asked Mrs. Rebson, impatiently.

"Say nothing to Mr. Horran, or to Ferdy," said Clarice, turning from

the window. "I'll see what I can do."
"Treat Master Ferdy tenderly," warned Mrs. Rebson.

"Oh, yes," replied Miss Baird, indifferently. "Things will come all
right, Nanny. Ferdy, after all, is in love with Prudence."

"Another hussy," snapped the nurse.

"A very clever one, then. She would make Ferdy a good wife, and
rule him with a rod of iron."

"He doesn't want that, Miss. You can lead him with a silken thread."

"I am quite sure Sarah Dumps can," said Clarice, emphatically.

"Ferdy can always be led in the way he wishes to go. No, no!" she
waved her hand impatiently, "don't defend him any more, Nanny. I
agree with you that Ferdy is all sugar-candy and honey. I'll try and
put everything right."

"And it needs putting right," said Mrs. Rebson, in her most lively
tone, "there's going to be trouble--yes, poverty--death--sorrow--
disgrace--"

"Stop, stop!" cried Clarice, turning pale, "what do you mean?"

"The Domestic Prophet--"

"Oh, that creature. Pooh!" Clarice was much relieved. "I thought you
were in earnest."

"The Domestic Prophet always is, deary."

"He's a fraud, Nanny. He never prophesies correctly."

"Yes, he does," cried Mrs. Rebson, obstinately, and adjusting her

spectacles, "listen to this," and she read: "'The month of December
will be dangerous to elderly men who are sick. They will probably die
if the weather is severe, and in winter we may expect snow. Some
elderly men will probably meet with a violent death, either by poison
or the knife, or a railway accident, or by drowning, if they frequent
seaside resorts. Beware the dead of night,' says the Domestic
Prophet, 'to all men over fifty.'"

After reading this precious extract, Mrs. Rebson lifted her eyes, to
find Clarice choking with laughter, and assumed an offended air.
"You were always foolish, Miss," she said, disdainfully, "but these
things will come true. Mr. Horran is doomed; he is over fifty."

"And how do you think he will die, Nanny--not in a railway accident

or by drowning, as he can't leave the house. The severe weather
may kill him, certainly, but I'll see that he is well wrapped up. There
remains the knife and the poison. Which will he die of?"

Mrs. Rebson still continued, disdainful. "It's all very well sniggering,
Miss, but the Domestic Prophet is right very often." She opened the
dismal book again, and read: "'When a black cat bites its tail, take it
for a sign of a sudden death.' And," added Mrs. Rebson, closing the
book solemnly, "I saw my black cat bite its tail only yesterday. Also
Mr. Horran is elderly, and should beware the dead of night."

"Well, then," said Clarice, flippantly, "I suppose Buster," this was the
black cat's name, "hints, by biting his tail, that Mr. Horran is about to
meet with a violent death at midnight."

"I don't say Mr. Horran, Miss. But Dr. Jerce is over fifty, and so is the
Rev. Nehemiah Clarke."

"You also, Nanny--"

"The Domestic Prophet is talking of men, deary. You scoff, Miss, but
mark my words, before the end of the month, we'll hear of
something."

Miss Baird, still laughing, kissed the withered cheek. "I dare say,"
was her reply, "your prophet is very general in his applications. Well,
I shall see Uncle Henry--"
"Don't tell him what I say."

"Oh, but I will, Nanny. It's too funny to keep to myself," and Clarice
left the room laughing, while Mrs. Rebson, with a sigh for such
levity, began to read The Domestic Prophet with renewed zeal.

Meanwhile, Miss Clarice proceeded to Mr. Horran's bedroom. This

was on the other side of the house, and was similar in many
respects to the drawing-room. Here also were two French windows
opening on to a terrace, and the apartment was large and lofty and
spacious, and was furnished half as a bedroom and half as a sitting-
room. This was because Mr. Horran lived, for the most part of his
life, beneath its roof. Formerly, he had occupied a room on the first
floor, where the other bedrooms were, but being unable, by reason
of his mysterious disease, to mount the stairs, he had, within the
last five years, transferred this room, which was formerly a library,
into his sleeping chamber. It was handsomely furnished, and very
comfortable, and had a large open fireplace, in which, summer and
winter, blazed a grand fire. The walls were of a deep orange colour,
as Mr. Horran thought such a hue was most restful to the eye, and
on them hung many fine pictures, and also several spears and
swords and Zulu shields and Matabele assegais, which various
friends had brought as presents. In front of one window stood a
rosewood escritoire, covered with papers, but the way to the other
window was left open, as it acted also as a door, whence Mr. Horran
could emerge, on fine days, to take the sun on the miniature
terrace. For an invalid, everything was perfectly arranged, and Mr.
Horran was lodged luxuriously.

The old man himself was thin and wrinkled, but very straight and
somewhat military in his looks, the resemblance being increased by
a long, iron-grey moustache and closely clipped grey hair. He had
left his bed and was sitting, clothed in a camel's hair dressing-gown,
in a deep-seated leather armchair before the fire. When Clarice
entered he was weeping, and she hastened towards him in alarm.
"Dear Uncle Henry," she said, putting her arms round his neck, "why
did you get up? It is most imprudent. Dr. Jerce and Dr. Wentworth
both say you should remain in bed. I wonder Chalks," this was
Horran's valet and faithful attendant, "allowed you."

"I'm all right, my dear," said Mr. Horran, trying to recover his self-
command, and patting Clarice's hand. "I'm only upset a little."

"And no wonder, after that fit."

"It is not the fit. That is all right now. I have been sleeping for about
ten hours, and woke some time ago, feeling much better. Indeed, I
felt so well, that I decided to rise, and take a stroll on the terrace, in
the winter sunshine. Then I received a shock."

"What kind of a shock?"

"We won't say anything about it just now," said Horran, in a weak
voice. "It would not interest you, and besides, I don't wish to talk of
it. I have told no one, not even Chalks."

"Told him what?"

"Nothing, nothing," maundered on the old man, staring into the fire.
"I feel ever so much better, my dear, only I can't help crying--some
sort of emotion from the shock."

Clarice slipped down beside him, and held his cold hands. "Dear
Uncle Henry, tell me what is the matter," she implored, "it isn't
Ferdy?"

"No, no! Ferdy is all right. He's a good boy and very kind. It is very
strange, Clarry, but I am now beginning to feel drowsy, and a few
minutes ago, I was so wide-awake. Oh, dear me," he sighed, "I do
wish Daniel, or Dr. Wentworth would find out what is the matter with
me."
"They will find out soon, dear," said Clarice, soothingly.

"No. Clever as Daniel is, my disease seems to baffle him. He says

that I may live for years, but I don't think that is likely, Clarry, dear.
However, should I die suddenly, everything is straight. You and Ferdy
will get your money within a week of my death."

"Dear, don't talk of your death."

"I must. It is just as well, Clarry, that you should know how matters
stand. I have arranged that you will control Ferdy's money, as I have
the power to do by your father's will. I was appointed sole guardian,
and the will enables me to appoint another guardian should I die.
But I shall not do that. I shall arrange, and have arranged, as my
lawyer will tell you, to give you the whole four thousand pounds a
year. You will be, so to speak, your own guardian, and Ferdy's also."

"You don't trust Ferdy, then, Uncle Henry?" she asked, in a low
voice.

"No, dear," he patted her hand. "You are the clever one. Ferdy is
unstable. I have seen that for many years, and so I placed him with
Daniel, who will keep the boy straight. Ferdy is like your poor father,
charming and weak; you more resemble your dear mother, who was
my first and my last love. I never married because of your mother."

"I know, dear." Clarice kissed the cold hand tenderly, as she knew of
this romance. She was the sole person to whom Horran ever spoke
of the matter. He maundered on dreamily. "I told Daniel of my will,
and he was not pleased. He said that a woman should not possess
such power, as she was incapable of exercising it."

"Oh, indeed," said Clarice, flushing angrily. "I think Dr. Jerce will find
me perfectly capable. I am glad that you have made me Ferdy's
guardian, Uncle Henry, as he certainly needs a guiding hand. Have
you told him about the will, dear?"
"No, I only told Daniel, who was displeased. But then he says that I
may live for years. He spoke kindly, too, though he is wrong in
believing I shall recover. Daniel and I have always been friends. We
only quarrelled once, and that was over your mother. But she
married Baird, and left us both in the cold. But for you, dear Clarry, I
should have had a lonely life, my dear."

Clarice rose and moved towards the bell. "Let me call Chalks to put
you to bed again, Uncle Henry. You are quite drowsy."

"No! no!" The invalid grew testy, sudden changes of mood being a
characteristic of his unknown disease. "I'm comfortable here. And I
want to see Daniel. Where is Daniel?"

"He returned to town last night, dear. I don't think he will come
again until after Christmas."

"That is not for a few days," groaned Horran, in a piteous tone. "Oh,
send for him, Clarry. I must see him about the letter."

"What letter, dear?" she asked, much puzzled. Horran raised his
heavy lids with an effort. "The letter which I found on the terrace,
near the window. It gave me a shock."

"Show it to me, Uncle Henry."

"No! You would not understand. Daniel might; he's so clever."

"Who wrote this letter?" coaxed Clarice, trying to get information.

"There is no writing," he answered, drowsily. "It is not a letter."

"You said that it was."

"Picture writing, then, like the ancient Egyptians." She thought,

naturally, that his mind was wandering, when he talked in so
contradictory a manner. After a moment or so, his head fell back on
the chair, and his eyes closed. He began to breathe deeply, and
apparently was falling asleep. Clarice put her ear to his lips, as she
saw them move, and caught three words, which conveyed nothing:
"The--Purple--Fern!"

This was unintelligible, until she noticed an envelope at his feet,

which had fallen out of his pocket. Picking this up, she took out the
slip of paper it contained, and found thereon, no writing, but the
representation of a tiny fern, stamped in purple ink.

CHAPTER V

THE VICAR

There seemed to Clarice to be a familiar look about this

representation of a fern. The double sheet of writing paper was thick
and glossy, with untrimmed edges, and on this the curved fern, with
its fronds wonderfully delicate and distinct, had evidently been
impressed with an india-rubber stamp, moistened with purple ink.
The square-sized envelope bore no address, no stamp, and no seal.
What could one make of such a missive? It appeared meaningless,
yet to Clarice the fern itself recalled some faint memory. Probably
that memory, whatever it might be, was clearer to Horran, and so
had given him the shock of which he had complained.

After some consideration, Clarice slipped the envelope and sheet of

paper into her pocket, thinking it advisable to remove them from
Horran's sight. He had fallen into a deep sleep, and was breathing
almost imperceptibly, his face looking singularly calm and
unwrinkled. Whatever his disease might be, he certainly was not
suffering pain; but it was strange that after a ten hours' sleep, he
should again relapse into slumber. Still, from his looks there was no
cause for alarm, so Clarice touched the bell, and when Chalks
entered, she pointed silently to his unconscious master.

The valet was a round, rosy, stout little man, with twinkling black
eyes, and a meek manner. He beamed with good nature and
overflowed with the milk of human kindness. An attendant with so
cheerful a disposition and smiling a countenance was quite the kind
of nurse needed by an invalid, as his spirits were infectious, and
frequently served to arouse the somewhat melancholy Mr. Horran
from dismal musings. Chalks displayed no surprise at the sight of his
patient asleep again, but lifted him in his arms and placed him
gently on the bed. Clarice deliberated as to whether she should tell
Chalks (who was intelligent and devoted to Mr. Horran) about the
missive of the purple fern; but finally decided to say nothing
concerning it to anyone until she had seen Anthony. The elusive
memory, which would not come back to her in its entirety, suggested
that Ackworth could account for the fern in some way.

"What do you think of him, Chalks?" she asked, indicating the

unconscious man on the bed.

"I think's he's asleep, Miss," said Chalks, innocently.

"But why should he sleep again after ten hours' slumber?"

"Why should he be ill at all, Miss?" was the retort of the cheerful
little man, "seeing that them doctors says as his organs is healthy,
and that there ain't nothing whatever the matter with him?"

Miss Baird drew her white brows together in a perplexed way. "There
must be some reason for his disease, Chalks."

"The doctors say there's no disease, Miss."

"But this sleep is unnatural."

"Master's health has been unnatural for the last ten years, Miss."

"What is your theory, Chalks?"

"I have none, Miss. Master gets headaches and giddy fits, and
weeps and gets into rages, which ain't his real nature, and he's had
two fits, and now sleeps like a top for hours. This ain't what you'd
call health, Miss, and yet Dr. Jerce and Dr. Wentworth have both
examined him heaps of times, only to find he's all right, both inside
and outside. It's a riddle, Miss, that's what it is."

"What's to be done, then?"

Chalks advanced briskly to the bed. "Leave Master to me, Miss, and
I'll put him between the sheets. Then we must wait until Dr.
Wentworth comes again, Miss."

Clarice walked to the door, but cast a glance round the room, before
going out. She saw that one of the French windows was open, and
moved to close it. Chalks stopped her. "No, Miss, Master must have
all the air he can get--Dr. Wentworth says so."

"And Dr. Jerce?" Chalks beamed like a cherub. "Bless your heart,
Miss, he insists on Master getting as little air as possible. When Dr.
Jerce comes down, Miss, he says the window must be closed; when
Dr. Wentworth turns up, he opens it straight off. They don't agree,
Miss, which is hard on me, Miss."

"It is perplexing," assented Clarice, laughing, "what do you do?"

"Well, Miss, I let them do what they like. If Dr. Jerce closes the
window, I leave it so; when Dr. Wentworth opens it, I let it be.
Sometimes that window is open all night and closed all day. At other
times, Miss, it's open all day and closed all night. It depends on
them dratted doctors."
Clarice laughed at this explanation, and seeing that her guardian, to
all appearance, was in a healthy sleep, went away. "Tell me when he
wakes up, Chalks," said she, at the door.

"Yes, Miss, if Master don't sleep for one hundred years, like the
Sleeping Beauty," and Chalks chuckled at his own simple wit. Clarice
passed the morning in attending to her domestic duties, and had a
consultation with Mrs. Rebson about the Christmas festivities. That
cheerful housekeeper remarked that it would be as well to make the
house as bright as possible, since The Domestic Prophet declared
that something terrible would happen before Christmas. What the
event might be, Mrs. Rebson could not tell, as the prophet, after the
manner of his kind, was obscure in the wording of his oracles.
Nevertheless, Clarice became infected with the vague dread which
Mrs. Rebson insisted she felt herself, and the memory of that oddly
delivered envelope, containing the stamped picture of the purple
fern, did not tend to dissipate her uneasiness. When she left Mrs.
Rebson, still prophesying coming woes, like an elderly Cassandra,
the girl felt that a walk would do her good, and, putting on her furs,
she sallied forth, eager to breathe a less portentous atmosphere.

The day was bright and clear, the snow was hard and clean. In the
lucid air lurked the sting of frost. Sitting over a fire, one was apt to
shiver; but smart walking brought a colour to the most wan cheeks,
and communicated a glow to the whole body. Clarice looked
extremely pretty as the exercise tinted her oval face, and sent the
warm blood spinning through her youthful veins. She walked in a
determined, swinging way, with steadfast eyes and a firmly closed
mouth, like a woman who knows her own mind, and who means to
have her own way. It needed a very strong man to master this
young lady of the new school, and Clarice believed that Ackworth
was just the man to exercise authority. Certainly, Dr. Jerce might
have mastered her also, as he was stern and strong. But then she
did not love Dr. Jerce, and only from the tyrant she loved was Miss
Baird ready to take orders.
Finding herself near the vicarage, Clarice determined to enter and
see if Ferdy was there. As he had not come back to luncheon, it was
probable that he had gone to Prudence Clarke for consolation, a
thing Miss Baird quite approved of, as she respected Prudence, and
would have been glad to see Ferdy engaged to so sensible a girl.
The quarrel at the breakfast table had no doubt left Ferdy fretful and
complaining, so it was pretty certain that he would visit Prudence
and pour his woes into her sympathetic ears. Ferdy never could keep
his troubles to himself, but invariably climbed to the highest house-
top to shout out his puny griefs. Clarice wished him to marry
Prudence, yet sometimes she doubted if so sensible a girl would
tolerate such a baby man as a husband.

The servant who answered the door said that Miss Clarke had gone
out skating with Mr. Baird, but that the vicar was in his study. Clarice
would have turned away in pursuit of the young people, but that the
parson heard her voice and came into the hall. He was an
undersized, miserable man, with a head too large for his body, and
an awkward, diffident manner, which seemed to continually
apologise for the existence of Mr. Nehemiah Clarke. His voice was
querulous, and his complaints were incessant. In his rusty black
clothes, with his bent frame and untidy hair, he looked a most dismal
object, and Clarice, in her then somewhat dejected state of mind,
scarcely relished an interview with so cheerless a person. However,
she could not help herself, and entered the study with the best grace
she could muster.

"There," whimpered Mr. Clarke, waving his hands towards an array

of bills, which strewed his desk like autumn leaves, "what do you
think of that for Christmas, Clarice? How is a man to preach goodwill
towards men, when men won't show any goodwill towards him?"

"But we all get bills at Christmas time," said Miss Baird, consolingly.
"I get more than anyone else," moaned the vicar, sinking into the
chair before his desk; "why they should come to me, I don't know."
"You should pay as you go, Mr. Clarke."

"I haven't any ready money, Clarice. It's all very well for you, in the
lap of luxury; but I have only three hundred a year, and even that
small sum comes to me slowly, since people will not pay their tithes
without legal threats, and those cost money. I don't eat much, I
dress plainly, I never enjoy myself, and keep only one cheap servant,
yet the bills will come in. Prudence is responsible for many; she
ought to emulate her name, but she won't. Imprudence would suit
her better. Oh, dear me, how I can sympathise with Lear."

"I don't think Prudence is extravagant, Mr. Clarke," said Clarice, who
resented this placing of burdens on other people's shoulders, "she
always seems to me to be a sensible girl."

"In some ways--in some ways," muttered the vicar, discontentedly.

Clarice reflected for a few minutes. From hints dropped by Prudence,

she had a shrewd idea of where the vicar's money went. "How is
Frank, Mr. Clarke?" she asked, significantly.

"My son. He is still in London, trying to get work. Poor lad, he is very
unfortunate. With his education and manners and brains, he ought
to be one of the foremost men of the time; but the want of money is
a bar to his advancement."

"What is Frank doing?"

"Nothing. He has tried the army, the medical profession, the legal
profession, the lecture hall, and even the stage. But, as yet, he has
not hit upon the field in which he can display his undoubted abilities
to their utmost."

"You support him, I suppose?"

"I can't let the boy starve," said Mr. Clarke, defiantly.
"Well, then, it seems to me that Frank is more to blame than
Prudence for your difficulties. He ought to support himself."

"He will some day, when he acquires the position to which his talents
will lead him. Then he will bring glory to the Clarkes."

"He only brings misfortune and debts just now," said Clarice, dryly.

"Who says so?" asked the vicar, furiously.

"Prudence tells me that her brother will not do anything, but passes
his time in idleness, and constantly comes to you for money. As he is
over thirty years of age, he certainly should support himself."

"Poor Frank cannot help his misfortunes."

"I rather think that a man's misfortunes are, as a rule, of his own
making, Mr. Clarke. Your own, for instance. You have three hundred
a year and a free house. That ought to keep you out of debt; but if
you will give all your money to Frank, what can you expect?"

"My dear--my dear," said Mr. Clarke, testily, "a girl like you can't
understand these things."

"Oh, yes, I can. Since Uncle Henry has been ill all these years, I
have had a great deal to do with business."

The vicar started. "I thought Mr. Barras was your guardian's lawyer."

"So he is. He attends to everything, but Uncle Henry rarely sees Mr.
Barras himself, so I have to attend to necessary matters."

"Why doesn't Ferdinand--?"

"Ferdinand!" Clarice made a gesture of contempt.

"He is the same as your son, and spends money rather than earns
it."
"My dear, you shouldn't say these things, unbecoming in a young
girl's mouth. It is not modest in a woman."

Clarice stood up, very tall and dignified, and rather irritated. "What is
the use of talking like that to me, Mr. Clarke. All that idea of the
superiority of man is a thing of the past. I am only a woman, and a
girl, as you say, but I have five times the sense of Ferdinand, and
Uncle Henry trusts me rather than him. Prudence also is clever and
sensible. I don't believe that she is extravagant, Mr. Clarke. Frank is
the one who spends your money. If you would allow Frank to earn
his own living, and let Prudence arrange your affairs, you would
soon be out of difficulties."

"Prudence knows nothing of business, Clarice."

"And Frank knows less," retorted the girl, thoroughly angry. "Women
have more intuition than men. But there is another way out of your
difficulties, Mr. Clarke."

"What is that?" asked the little man, somewhat cowed by the

determined demeanour of Miss Baird.

"Ferdy is in love with Prudence. Let them marry, and then I can
arrange that your debts will be paid when Ferdy comes in for his
money two years hence."

"But in the meantime?" moaned the vicar.

"We can arrange something--that is, if you will stop sending money
to Frank. Let him sink or swim, Mr. Clarke. Self-reliance is the sole
thing which will make a man of Frank."

"I'll see, I'll see," said Mr. Clarke, evasively, "but if I allow Prudence
to marry Ferdinand--and I note that they love one another--do you
think he will help me?"

"I shall help you."

"But how can you--?"

"Mr. Clarke, I spoke to Uncle Henry this morning, and he told me

that as our guardian, he has the authority to appoint another one at
his death. He doesn't trust Ferdy, so he has constituted me the head
of our affairs. Ferdy gets two thousand a year, as I do, in two years,
but I shall have the casting vote as to how his money is disposed of-
-at least, up to the age of twenty-five, when he takes it over. If
Ferdy marries Prudence next year, I'll allow him a good income, on
condition that he pays your debts. He will do it, if I advise, as I shall
have the legal power when Uncle Henry dies."

"But if Mr. Horran does not die?"

"Then I'll see what Mr. Barras can do. He is the lawyer, and believes
in me. He tells me everything."

Clarke rose, and began to pace the room. "Has Barras told you that
Horran lent me one thousand pounds five years ago at ten per cent."

"No," said Clarice, somewhat startled, "is that so?"

"Yes. I am in great trouble over the loan. I borrowed it to help my

son Frank, and I have had to pay interest at the rate of ten per cent.
every year--that is, one hundred pounds. I have not paid up for
three years, so I am indebted to Mr. Horran for three hundred
pounds, and he threatens to sell me up--that means ruin."

"I don't believe it," cried Clarice, energetically. "Uncle Henry is a kind
man, and would never do such a thing. Who says so?"

"Mr. Barras."

"Then I'll go up to London and see Mr. Barras after Christmas. He

ought to have told me about this, but he did not. Why do you not
see Uncle Henry yourself, Mr. Clarke?"
"I tried to, but Dr. Jerce would not let me. He said that I would upset
Mr. Horran if I talked business to him. I therefore have kept away
from the house."

"I noticed that you had not been near us for months," said Clarice,
thoughtfully. "But how does Dr. Jerce come to know of the matter?"

"Mr. Barras told him."

Miss Baird flushed in an angry way. "It seems to me that Mr. Barras
takes a great deal upon himself," she said, haughtily. "Since Uncle
Henry is ill, and trusts me, I am the one to be spoken to, about
these matters, and not Dr. Jerce. I'll question Uncle Henry about the
loan, and see that everything is put right."

"Then I won't have to pay the three hundred," said the vicar,
eagerly. "I can't say that," rejoined Clarice, bluntly. "I'll see what I
can do. Of course, if Ferdy would only become engaged to
Prudence, I might be able to do much, but as matters stand, Dr.
Jerce and Mr. Barras may prove too strong for me."

"But Mr. Horran trusts you--so you say, Clarice?"

"He does. But he-Uncle Henry, I mean--has a great opinion of Dr.

Jerce, and in his weak state may be influenced by him. I'll speak to
the doctor and to Mr. Barras--more than this I can't promise."

The vicar looked more miserable than ever and twice opened his
mouth to speak. Each time he closed it, while Clarice wondered at
his hesitation. "Do you think that everything is right with Mr.
Horran?" asked Mr. Clarke, at length.

"What do you mean by that?" she asked, startled.

"Mr. Horran has no money, you know, save what he receives from
your estate by acting as your guardian."
Clarice stared. "I never knew that," she said, at length. "I
understood, of course, that Uncle Henry received a sum for acting as
guardian, since that is but right. But he has his own money and the
house--"

"The house you live in belonged to your father, and now belongs to
you," said Clarke, rapidly, leaning forward with eagerness to
emphasise his words. "I know, because I buried both your parents,
and was present at the reading of the will. Mr. Horran loved your
mother and was trusted by your father; but he never had any
money. When your father died he left everything to your mother, in
trust for you and Ferdinand. When she went the way of all flesh, she
constituted Mr. Horran, who then managed her business, your
guardian, as she trusted him, and he was hard up. Did not Mr.
Barras tell you all these things, Clarice?"

"No," she said, absently, and began to see that the lawyer had not
trusted her so entirely as she had thought--neither had Horran, if the
vicar was to be believed. "I shall speak to Uncle Henry," she said,
after a pause, "and from him I shall learn the true position of affairs.
Meantime, please say nothing, Mr. Clarke."

"No. I'll be silent. But this three hundred interest--?"

"I'll see about that also. I am sure that Uncle Henry does not mean
to be hard on you. Of course, business may upset him, since he is so
ill, and Dr. Jerce may be right in keeping you away. All the same, it
seems to me that Dr. Jerce knows a good deal about our private
affairs."

"I am sure that Mr. Horran tells him everything," said Clarke, with a
gloomy air, "and Dr. Jerce is not friendly towards me. I don't know
why, since we were at college together, but he is not friendly."

Clarice felt puzzled. This conversation with Mr. Clarke opened her
eyes to the fact that business was not so easy a matter as she had
imagined. If she was to be tricked by Mr. Barras keeping back details
of finance, and if Dr. Jerce was influencing Horran secretly, it
appeared that she would have some difficulty in straightening out
things at the death. Nevertheless, Horran had assured her that when
he passed away, she would find everything in good order. Before she
could pursue the subject further in her thoughts, the door opened,
and Prudence appeared, with Ferdy behind her. Prudence was a
brunette, as dark as Ferdy was fair, but tall and handsome and full of
life and spirits. From the downward curve of her mouth, it would
seem that she had a temper. But just now, she appeared to be filled
with joy, and rushed to kiss Clarice. "Dear! dear!" she said, quickly,
"Ferdy has--Ferdy has--"

"I am glad," cried Clarice, guessing what had happened with the
swift intuition of a woman; "it is exactly what I wanted Ferdy to do."

"Well, then," said Ferdy, who was radiant as a lover, and who
evidently had forgiven his sister for the quarrel at breakfast, "I've
done it."

"Done what?" asked the vicar, staring open-mouthed. "I have asked
Prudence to become my wife."

"Thank God!" said Clarke, devout and egotistic, "my debts will be
paid."

CHAPTER VI

A DISCOVERY
On that same night the weather changed with unexampled rapidity
from cold to warm. A thick mist descended on Crumel, and the snow
began to melt, as though under the influence of a summer sun. The
long hours of darkness were filled with the dripping of water, the
melting of snow, and the whole country was turned into a vast
expanse of slush. The expectations of a White Christmas,
entertained by old-fashioned people, vanished, and next day it
seemed, from the warm humidity of the foggy air, as though the
season of Yule had given place to early autumn.

Clarice looked out of her bedroom-window on to damp green lawns,

from which patches of snow were quickly disappearing, and
experienced a sense of discomfort, which she set down to the queer
weather. Perhaps the earthquakes in the earlier part of the year had
disarranged the English climate and altered the seasons, but
assuredly the atmosphere was decidedly unhealthy. Yet the vague
fears of the girl may have been less due to the sudden change of
temperature than to the feeling of apprehension she entertained,
since her conversation with Mr. Clarke, that money matters were not
so satisfactory as she had thought them to be.

Hitherto Clarice had implicitly trusted Mr. Barras in her innocence of

worldly ways. He had always been frank with her, so far as she could
see, and having been delegated by Horran to tell her of all things
connected with the estate, Clarice had believed that she knew
everything. Now, if the vicar were to be believed, it appeared that
Horran had lent him money, and was pressing for the payment of
the interest. Also, Dr. Jerce seemed to know of the private business
of the Baird orphans, and to be influencing Horran against the
wretched Mr. Clarke. Certainly, the vicar was not a very estimable
character, and his infatuation for his spendthrift son merited
contempt rather than approbation. Nevertheless, Horran had known
Clarke all his life and had been to college with him and with Jerce.
He therefore, assuredly, should not be hard on the parson, whose
sole fault was affection for an unworthy son. Also, if Jerce was
influencing Horran, as Clarke suggested, he might advise leniency
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