ill remaining to me for an assurance of my power to enjoy freedom. Osric an

e in the face,' I said,

hey must have seen me here; do y

her, 'There, take all I have; I hate you!' One minute I was curiously perusing the soft shade of a moustache on my aunt's upp

. Rippenger on the scene. Rippenger paid the tramp, I dare say; my grandfather paid Rippenger's bill and for Saddlebank's goose; my aunt paid t

a child. A small child would not have sulked as I did at Kiomi's behaviour

back, sir

m, s

are, 'stead o

run like e

you

sir; a

took it. I had not run away from

orders to call you Master Harry Richmond, according to your christening. You were born here, sir, you will pleas

feeling that we were immeasurably superior to the Beltham blood, I merely said, apart to old Sewis, shruggin

ing a relative's affection!' The squire's punctilious regard for payments impressed me, it is true. He had saved me from the disgrace of owing money to my detested schoolmaster; and, besides, I was under his roof, eating

jump your head across hedges and ditches, my little fellow. It won't do, in these confounded days, to have you clever all at the wrong end. In my time, good in the saddle was good for everything; but now you must get your brains where you can-pick here, pick there-and sell 'em like a huckster; some do. Nature's gone-it's damned artifice rules

im to my aunt she trembled. She said, 'Yes, Harry, tell me all you are thinking about, whatever you want to know'; but her excessive trembling checked me, and I kept my feelings to myself-a boy with a puzzle in his head and hunger in his heart. At times I rode out to the utmost limit of the hour giving me the proper number of minutes to race back and dress for dinner at the squire's table, and a great wrestling I had with myself to turn my little horse's head from hills and valleys lying East; they seemed to have the secret of my father. Blank enough they looked if ever I despaired of their knowing more than I. My Winter and Summer were the moods of my mind constantly shifting. I would have a week of the belief that he was near Riversley,

ere clergymen, and they soon proposed to marry my aunt Dorothy, or they rebuked the squire for swearing. The devil was in the parsons, he said: in his time they were

my heir as I can. Why, the lad's my daughter's son: He shall grow up among his tenantry. We'll beat the countr

she had money of her own coming from her mother's side of the family), and the tenderest woman alive, with

d then our playmate, and was a scapegrace. But for me he would have been selected by the squire for his heir, he said; and he often 'confounded' me to my face on that account as he shook my hand, breaking out: 'I

y. Janet Ilchester was a quaint girl, a favourite of my aunt Dorothy, and the squire's especial pet; red-cheeked, with a go

u met when you were a begga

s a beggar,

difference I saw between Janet and Kiomi was, that Janet continually begged

r her, a brown retriever, and a little terrier. She was permitted to keep the terrier at home, but I had to take care of the mastiff and retriever. When Janet came to look at them she called them by their names; of course they followed me in preference to her; she cried with jealousy. We had a downright quar

me day, but mama's such a proud woman she won't much like your having such a father a

r's candid speculations upon the future. I said: 'Now mind what I tell you, Janet: I forgive you this once, for

oa! you don't mean to say yo

met half way. He advised me not to talk to his sister of my father. They all knew, he said, that it was no fault of mine, and for his part, had he a rascal for a father, he should pension him and cut him; to tell the truth, no objection agains

the talk of my marrying her, filled me with renewed scorn, though my heart was sick at the mention of my father. I asked her what she k

sor of legerdemain,' added her brother.

he's no good

do is mean and disgraceful; but you don't know better. I would forfeit everything in the world for him. And when you're of age to marry, marry anybody you like-you won't marry me.

make a match. My grandfather pledged his word to Janet that he would restore us to an amicable footing. He thought it a light task. Invitations were sent out to a large party at Riversley, and Janet came with all my gifts on her dress or in her pockets. The squire led the company to the gates of his stable

er delight, our

'm to thank you. He's a darl

ly, but the squi

by this and that. 'You slink fro

arms or down on your knees. Take it manfully, s

ng you,' Janet whispered, when I reached the pony's head; 'and if you'd

I; 'that will do as well. Obs

ns. She grimaced, and whimpered, 'I

imals like your

used the pony. The squire's fa

n genteel society, or, by the Lord! you won't carry Beltham buttons

e,' said I; and walked away, l

I walked over Kiomi's heath till dark, when one of our grooms on horseback overtook me, saying that the squire begged me to jump on the horse and ride home as quick as possible. Two other lads and the coachman were out scouring the country to find me, and the squire was anxious, it appeared. I rode home like a wounded man made to feel proud by victory, but with no one to stop the bleeding of his w

am. Have a will of your own. Sweat out the bad blood. Here, drink my health, Harry. You're three parts Beltham, at least, and

any of his daughters marry, if he c

suit ye? Anon, anon, as they say in the play. Take my name, and d

dly, thinking that the sight of my father in beggar's clothes, raising a hand for me to follo