And now, as this is my house, and you have no claim upon me,
I shall be obliged to you to withdraw."

"Perhaps you'll claim the horses and carriages next, sir," cried the man
with the hooked nose.

Mr. Carlyle raised his head haughtily. "What is mine is mine, legally
purchased and paid for--a fair, just price. The carriages and horses I
have nothing to do with; Lord Mount Severn brought them down with him."

"And I have got a safe watcher over them in the out premises, to see
as they don't run away," nodded the man, complacently; "and if I don't
mistake, there's a safe watcher over something else upstairs."

"What a cursed scoundrel Mount Severn was."

"Whatever he may have been, it does not give you the right to outrage
the feelings of his daughter," warmly interrupted Mr. Carlyle; "and I
should have thought that men, calling themselves Englishmen, would have
disdained the shame. Allow me, Lady Isabel," he added, imperatively
taking her hand to lead her from the room. "I will remain and deal with
this business."

But she hesitated and stopped. The injury her father had done these men
was telling painfully on her sense of right, and she essayed to speak a
word of apology, of sorrow; she thought she ought to do so; she did not
like them to deem her quite heartless. But it was a painful task, and
the color went and came in her pale face, and her breath was labored
with the excess of her tribulation.

"I am very sorry," she stammered; and with the effort of speaking,
emotion quite got the better of her, and she burst into tears. "I did
not know anything of all this; my father's affairs were not spoken of
before me. I believe I have not anything; if I had, I would divide it
amongst you as equally as I could. But, should the means ever be in
my power--should money ever be mine, I will thankfully pay all your
claims."

_All_ your claims! Lady Isabel little thought what that "all" would
comprise. However, such promises, made at such a moment, fell heedlessly
upon the ear. Scarcely one present but felt sympathy and sorrow for
her, and Mr. Carlyle drew her from the room. He closed the door upon the
noisy crew, and then sobs came forth hysterically.

"I am so grieved, Lady Isabel! Had I foreseen this annoyance, you should
have been spared it. Can you go upstairs alone, or shall I call Mrs.
Mason?"

"Oh, yes! I can go alone; I am not ill, only frightened and sick. This
is not the worst," she shivered. "There are two m