ret's sudden appearance and Jenny's own, and this element
added a piquancy to the situation, even though the similarity was rather
superficial than essential. Old Nicholas Driver had every reason to
produce his daughter and invest her formally with the position of
heir-apparent to his great possessions, to his over-lordship of the
town. Octon had been merely the temporary tenant of a hired house--a
mere bird of passage--and a solitary bird besides, neither giving nor
receiving confidences. Why should he have talked about his dead wife and
his young daughter to ears that cared not a straw about either of them?
The coincidence was noted, but it was soon swallowed up in the new issue
as to Jenny's conduct which the appearance of Margaret raised.
Bluntly--for which party was this a score? Jenny's opponents saw in it a
new defiance--a willful flaunting of offense; her friends found in it a
romantic flavor which pleaded for her.

On the whole, so far as could be judged from Bindlecombe's accounts--he
was my constant reporter--Jenny's adherents gained ground in the
town--partly from her personal popularity, partly from the old power of
her family, in part, perhaps (if one may venture to say so from the safe
obscurity of a private station), because our lords the masses are not in
a matter of this sort very unforgiving--in which they touch hands with
the opposite end of society. Self-interest probably aided--Catsford had
of late basked in the somewhat wintry favor of Fillingford Manor; the
beams were chilly; Breysgate would emit a kinder glow. It "paid" so many
people in the town to have Jenny back! The feeling in the county was
preponderatingly against her. There Fillingford Manor was a greater
power; its attitude was definite, resolute, not to be misunderstood.
Outside the town Jenny could look at present for little support. Old Mr.
Dormer with his pliant standards was dead. There were only the
Aspenicks--Lady Aspenick must be civil--owing to what she had done about
the road; but her influence, even if cordially exercised, would not be
enough.

Following the example of great commanders, Jenny massed her forces on
the most favorable point. She flung herself on the workingmen of
Catsford. Hesitating, probably, to expose Margaret to the chances of the
campaign, she left her at home, but she requisitioned Cartmell and
myself, and we drove down in full state into Catsford at noon on the
fourth day after her return. Our ostensible