sory notes and I O Us, overdue bills and underdue bills; heavy
outstanding debts of all sorts, and trifles, comparatively speaking, for
housekeeping, servants' liveries, out-door servants' wages, bread and
meat.

What was Isabel Vane to answer? What excuse to offer? What hope or
promise to give? She stood in bewilderment, unable to speak, turning
from one to the other, her sweet eyes full of pity and contrition.

"The fact is, young lady," spoke up one who bore the exterior of a
gentleman, "we should not have come down troubling you--at least, I can
answer for myself--but his lordship's men of business, Warburton & Ware,
to whom many of us hastened last evening, told us there would not be
a shilling for anybody unless it could be got from furniture. When
it comes to that, it is 'first come, first served,' and I got down by
morning light, and levied an execution."

"Which was levied before you came," put in a man who might be brother
to the two upstairs, to judge by his nose. "But what's such furniture as
this to our claims--if you come to combine 'em? No more than a bucket of
water is to the Thames."

"What can I do?" shivered Lady Isabel. "What is it you wish me to do? I
have no money to give you, I--"

"No, miss," broke in a quiet, pale man; "if report tells me, you are
worse wronged than we are, for you won't have a roof to put your head
under, or a guinea to call your own."

"He has been a scoundrel to everybody," interrupted an intemperate
voice; "he has ruined thousands."

The speech was hissed down; even they were not men gratuitously to
insult a delicate young lady.

"Perhaps you'll just answer us a question, miss," persisted the voice,
in spite of the hisses. "Is there any ready money that can--"

But another person had entered the room--Mr. Carlyle. He caught sight of
the white face and trembling hands of Isabel, and interrupted the last
speaker with scant ceremony.

"What is the meaning of this?" he demanded, in a tone of authority.
"What do you want?"

"If you are a friend of the late peer's, you ought to know what we
want," was the response. "We want our debts paid."

"But this is not the place to come to," returned Mr. Carlyle; "your
coming here flocking in this extraordinary manner, will do no good. You
must go to Warburton & Ware."

"We have been to them and received their answer--a cool assurance that
there'll be nothing for anybody."

"At any rate, you'll get nothing here," observed M