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〃Nay；　but；〃　said　Janet；　〃they　sort　o'　warnings　are　not　to　be　slighted　neither。　　We　must　put　it　off　on　to　Squire；　or　I　shall　sleep　none　this　night。〃

They　went　up；　hand　in　hand；　and　often　looked　askant　upon　the　road。

When　they　got　to　the　Hall；　they　asked　to　see　Mr。　Raby。　　After　some　demur　they　were　admitted　to　his　presence；　and　found　him　alone；　so　far　as　they　could　judge　by　the　naked　eye；　but；　as　they　arrived　there　charged　to　the　muzzle　with　superstition；　the　room　presented　to　their　minds　some　appearances　at　variance　with　this　seeming　solitude。　Several　plates　were　set　as　if　for　guests；　and　the　table　groaned；　and　the　huge　sideboard　blazed；　with　old　silver。　　The　Squire　himself　was　in　full　costume；　and　on　his　bosom　gleamed　two　orders　bestowed　upon　his　ancestors　by　James　III。　and　Charles　III。　　In　other　respects　he　was　rather　innocuous；　being　confined　to　his　chair　by　an　attack　of　gout；　and　in　the　act　of　sipping　the　superannuated　compound　that　had　given　it　himport。　　Nevertheless；　his　light　hair；　dark　eyebrows；　and　black　eyes；　awed　them；　and　co…operated　with　his　brilliant　costume　and　the　other　signs　of　company；　to　make　them　wish　themselves　at　the　top　of　Cairnhope　Peak。　　However；　they　were　in　for　it；　and　told　their　tale；　but　in　tremulous　tones　and　a　low　deprecating　voice；　so　that　if　the　room　SHOULD　happen　to　be　infested　with　invisible　grandees　from　the　other　world；　their　attention　might　not　be　roused　unnecessarily。

Mr。　Raby　listened　with　admirable　gravity；　then　fixed　his　eyes　on　the　pair；　in　silence；　and　then　said　in　a　tone　so　solemn　it　was　almost　sepulchral；　〃This　very　day；　nearly　a　century　and　a　half　ago；　Sir　Richard　Raby　was　beheaded　for　being　true　to　his　rightful　king〃

〃Eh；　dear　poor　gentleman！　so　now　a　walks。〃　　It　was　Janet　who　edged　in　this

〃And；〃　continued　the　gentleman；　loftily　ignoring　the　comment；　〃they　say　that　on　this　night　such　of　the　Rabys　as　died　Catholics　hold　high　mass　in　the　church；　and　the　ladies　walk　three　times　round　the　churchyard；　twice　with　their　veils　down；　once　with　bare　faces；　and　great　eyes　that　glitter　like　stars。〃

〃I　wouldn't　like　to　see　the　jades；〃　quavered　Abel：　〃their　ladyships　I　mean；　axing　their　pardon。〃

〃Nor　I！〃　said　Janet；　with　a　great　shudder。

〃It　would　not　be　good　for　you；〃　suggested　the　Squire；　〃for　the　first　glance　from　those　dead　and　glittering　eyes　strikes　any　person　of　the　lower　orders　dumb；　the　second；　blind；　the　third；　dead。　　So　I'm　INFORMED。　　ThereforeLET　ME　ADVISE　YOU　NEVER　TO　GO　NEAR　CAIRNHOPE　OLD　CHURCH　AT　NIGHT。〃

〃Not　I；　sir；〃　said　the　simple　woman。

〃Nor　your　children：　unless　you　are　very　tired　of　them。〃

〃Heaven　forbid；　sir！　　But　oh；　sir；　we　thought　it　might　be　a　warning　like。〃

〃To　whom？〃

〃Why；　sir；　th'　old　Squire　lies　there；　and　heaps　more　of　your　folk：　and　so　Abel　here　was　afear'dbut　you　are　the　best　judge；　we　be　no　scholars。　　Th'　old　church　warn't　red…hot　from　eend　to　eend　for　naught：　that's　certain。〃

〃Oh　it　is　me　you　came　to　warn？〃　said　Raby；　and　his　lip　curled。

〃Well；　sir；〃　（mellifluously）；　〃we　thought　you　had　the　best　right　to　know。〃

〃My　good　woman；〃　said　the　warned；　〃I　shall　die　when　my　time　comes。　But　I　shall　not　hurry　myself；　for　all　the　gentlemen　in　Paradise；　nor　all　the　blackguards　upon　earth。〃

He　spake；　and　sipped　his　port　with　one　hand；　and　waved　them　superbly　back　to　their　village　with　the　other。

But；　when　they　were　gone；　he　pondered。

And　the　more　he　pondered；　the　further　he　got　from　the　prosaic　but　singular　fact。


CHAPTER　II。


In　the　old　oak　dining…room；　where　the　above　colloquy　took　place；　hung　a　series　of　family　portraits。　　One　was　of　a　lovely　girl　with　oval　face；　olive　complexion；　and　large　dark　tender　eyes：　and　this　was　the　gem　of　the　whole　collection；　but　it　conferred　little　pleasure　on　the　spectator；　owing　to　a　trivial　circumstanceit　was　turned　with　its　face　to　the　wall；　and　all　that　met　the　inquiring　eye　was　an　inscription　on　the　canvas；　not　intended　to　be　laudatory。

This　beauty；　with　her　back　to　creation；　was　Edith　Raby；　Guy's　sister。

During　their　father's　lifetime　she　was　petted　and　allowed　her　own　way。　　Hillsborough；　odious　to　her　brother；　was；　naturally；　very　attractive　to　her；　and　she　often　rode　into　the　town　to　shop　and　chat　with　her　friends；　and　often　stayed　a　day　or　two　in　it；　especially　with　a　Mrs。　Manton；　wife　of　a　wealthy　manufacturer。

Guy　merely　sneered　at　her；　her　friends；　and　her　tastes；　till　he　suddenly　discovered　that　she　had　formed　an　attachment　to　one　of　the　obnoxious　class；　Mr。　James　Little；　a　great　contract　builder。　　He　was　too　shocked　at　first　to　vent　his　anger。　　He　turned　pale；　and　could　hardly　speak；　and　the　poor　girl's　bosom　began　to　quake。

But　Guy's　opposition　went　no　further　than　cold　aversion　to　the　intimacyuntil　his　father　died。　　Then；　though　but　a　year　older　than　Edith；　he　assumed　authority　and；　as　head　of　the　house；　forbade　the　connection。　　At　the　same　time　he　told　her　he　should　not　object；　under　the　circumstances；　to　her　marrying　Dr。　Amboyne；　a　rising　physician；　and　a　man　of　good　family；　who　loved　her　sincerely；　and　had　shown　his　love　plainly　before　ever　Mr。　Little　was　heard　of。

Edith　tried　to　soften　her　brother；　but　he　was　resolute；　and　said　Raby　Hall　should　never　be　an　appendage　to　a　workshop。　　Sooner　than　that；　he　would　settle　it　on　his　cousin　Richard；　a　gentleman　he　abhorred；　and　never　called；　either　to　his　face　or　behind　his　back；　by　any　other　name　than　〃Dissolute　Dick。〃

Then　Edith　became　very　unhappy；　and　temporized　more　or　less；　till　her　lover；　who　had　shown　considerable　forbearance；　lost　patience　at　last；　and　said　she　must　either　have　no　spirit；　or　no　true　affection　for　him。

Then　came　a　month　or　two　of　misery；　the　tender　clinging　nature　of　the　girl　being　averse　to　detach　itself　from　either　of　these　two　persons。　　She　loved　them　both　with　an　affection　she　could　have　so　easily　reconciled；　if　they　would　only　have　allowed　her。

And　it　all　ended　according　to　Nature。　　She　came　of　age；　plucked　up　a　spirit；　and　married　Mr。　James　Little。

Her　brother　declined　to　be　present　at　the　wedding；　but；　as　soon　as　she　returned　from　her　tour；　and　settled　in　Hillsborough；　he　sent　his　groom　with　a　cold；　civil　note；　reminding　her　that　their　father　had　settled　nineteen　hundred　pounds　on　her；　for　her　separate　use；　with　remainder　to　her　children；　if　any；　that　he　and　Mr。　Graham　were　the　trustees　of　this　small　fund；　that　they　had　invested　it；　according　to　the　provisions　of　the　settlement；　in　a　first　mortgage　on　land；　and　informing　her　that　half　a　year's　interest　at　4　1/2　per　cent　was　due；　which　it　was　his　duty　to　pay　into　her　own　hand　and　no　other　person's；　she　would　therefore　oblige　him　by　receiving　the　inclosed　check；　and　signing　the　inclosed　receipt。

The　receipt　came　back　signed；　and　with　it　a　few　gentle　lines；　〃hoping　that；　in　time；　he　would　forgive　her；　and　bestow　on　her　what　she　needed　and　valued　more　than　money；　her　own　brother's；　her　only　brother's　affection。〃

On　receiving　this；　his　eyes　were　suddenly　moist；　and　he　actually　groaned。　　〃A　lady；　every　inch！〃　he　said；　〃yet　she　has　gone　and　married　a　bricklayer。〃

Well；　blood　is　thicker　than　water；　and　in　a　few　years　they　were　pretty　good　friends　again；　though　they　saw　but　little　of　one　another；　meeting　only　in　Hillsborough；　which　Guy　hated；　and　never　drove　into　now　without　what　he　called　his　antidotes：　a　Bible　and　a　bottle　of　lavender…water。　　It　was　his　humor　to　read　the　one；　and　sprinkle　the　other；　as　soon　as　ever　he　got　within　the　circle　of　the　smoky　trades。

When　Edith's　little　boy　was　nine　years　old；　and　much　admired　for　his　quickness　and　love　of　learning；　and　of　making　walking…stick　heads　and　ladies'　work…boxes；　Mr。　Little's　prosperity　received　a　severe　check；　and　through　his　own　fault。　　He　speculated　largely　in　building　villas；　overdid　the　market；　and　got　crippled。　　He　had　contracts　uncompleted；　and　was　liable　to　penalties；　and　at　last　saw　himself　the　nominal　possessor　of　a　brick　wilderness；　but　on　the　verge　of　ruin　for　want　of　cash。

He　tried　every　other　resource　first；　but　at　last　he　came　to　his　wife；　to　borrow　her　L1900。　　The　security　he　offered　was　a　mortgage　on　twelve　carcasses；　or　houses　the　bare　walls　and　roofs　of　which　were　built。

Mrs。　Little　wrote　at　once　to　Mr。　Raby　for　her　money。

Instead　of　lending　the　trust…money　hastily；　Raby　submitted　the　proposal　to　his　solicitor；　and　that　gentleman　soon　discovered　the　vaunted　security　was　a　second　mortgage；　with　interest　overdue　on　the　first；　and　so　he　told　Guy；　who　then　merely　remarked；　〃I　expected　as　much。　　When　had　a　tradesman　any　sense　of　honor　in　money　matters？　This　one　would　cheat　his　very　wife　and　child。〃

He　declined　the　proposal；　in　two　words；　〃Rotten　security！〃

Then　Mr。　James　Little　found　another　security　that　looked　very　plausible；　and　primed　his　wife　with　arguments；　and　she　implored　Guy　to　call　and　talk　it　over　with　them　both。

He　came　that　very　afternoon；　and　brought　his　father's　will。

Then　Edith　offered　the　security；　and　tried　to　convey　to　the　trustee　her　full　belief　that　it　was　undeniable。

Guy　picked　terrible　holes　in　it；　and　read　their　father's　will；　confining　the　funds　to　consols；　or　a　first　mortgage　on　land。　　〃You　take　the　money　on　these　conditions：　it　is　almost　as　improper　of　you　to　wish　to　evade　them；　as　it　would　be　of　me　to　assist　you。　　And　then　there　is　your　child；　I　am　hound　in　honor　not　to　risk　his　little　fortune。　　See；　here's　my　signature　to　that。〃

〃My　child！〃　cried　Edith。　　〃When　he　comes　of　age；　I'll　go　on　my　knees　to　him　and　say；　'My　darling；　I　borrowed　your　money　to　save　your　father's　credit。'　　And　my　darling　will　throw　his　arms　round　me；　and　forgive　me。〃

〃Simpleton！〃　said　Guy。　　〃And　how　about　your　daughters　and　their　husbands？　　And　their　husbands'　solicitors？　　Will　they　throw　their　arms　round　your　neck；　and　break　forth　into　twaddle？　　No！　　I　have　made　inquiries。　　Your　husband's　affairs　are　desperate。　　I　won't　throw　your　money　into　his　well；　and　you　will　both　live　to　thank　me　for　seeing　clearer　than　you　do；　and　saving　this　L1900　for　you　and　yours。〃

James　Little　had　writhed　in　his　chair　for　some　time：　he　now　cried　out　wildly；

〃Edith；　you　shall　demean　yourself　no　more。　　He　always　hated　me：　and　now　let　him　have　his　will；　and　seal　my　dishonor　and　my　ruin。　　Oblige　me　by　leaving　my　house；　Mr。　Raby。〃

〃Oh；　n