u couldn't really need the
furnitur',--nor yet want the furnitur',--an' blest if she wasn't talkin'
of handing you the money back again."

"Hum!" said Bellew.

"Seeing which, sir, an' because she must have that money if she 'opes to
keep the roof of Dapplemere over 'er 'ead, I, there an' then, made
up,--or as you might say,--concocted a story, a anecdote, or a
yarn,--upon the spot, Mr. Belloo sir."

"Most excellent Machiavelli!--proceed!"

"I told her, sir, as you bought that furnitur' on account of you being
wishful to settle down,--whereat she starts, an' looks at me wi' her
eyes big, an' surprised-like. I told 'er, likewise, as you had told me
on the quiet,--or as you might say,--con-fi-dential, that you bought
that furnitur' to set up 'ouse-keeping on account o' you being on the
p'int o' marrying a fine young lady up to Lonnon,--"

"What!" Bellew didn't move, nor did he raise his voice,--nevertheless
Adam started back, and instinctively threw up his arm.

"You--told her--that?"

"I did sir."

"But you knew it was a--confounded lie."

"Aye,--I knowed it. But I'd tell a hundred,--ah! thousands o' lies,
con-founded, or otherwise,--to save Miss Anthea."

"To save her?"

"From ruination, sir! From losing Dapplemere Farm, an' every thing she
has in the world. Lord love ye!--the 'ops can never bring in by
theirselves all the three thousand pounds as is owing,--it ain't to be
expected,--but if that three thousand pound ain't paid over to that
dirty Grimes by next Saturday week as ever was, that dirty Grimes turns
Miss Anthea out o' Dapplemere, wi' Master Georgy, an' poor little Miss
Priscilla,--An' what'll become o' them then,--I don't know. Lord! when I
think of it the 'Old Adam' do rise up in me to that extent as I'm minded
to take a pitch-fork and go and skewer that there Grimes to his own
chimbley corner. Ye see Mr. Belloo sir," he went on, seeing Bellew was
silent still, "Miss Anthea be that proud, an' independent that she'd
never ha' took your money, sir, if I hadn't told her that there lie,--so
that's why I did tell her that here lie."

"I see," nodded Bellew, "I see!--yes,--you did quite right. You acted
for the best, and you--did quite right, Adam,--yes, quite right"

"Thankee sir!"

"And so--this is the game I am to play, is it?"

"That's it, sir; if she ax's you,--'are you goin' to get
married?'--you'll tell her 'yes,--to a lady as you've knowed from your
childhood's hour,--living in Lonnon,'-