that quarter. As
for the other servants who remain, Mrs. Blanchard describes them, both
men and women, as perfectly trustworthy, and they will all, no doubt,
continue to occupy their present places.

"Having now done with Mrs. Blanchard's letter, my next duty is to beg
you, in Allan's name and with Allan's love, to come here and stay with
him at the earliest moment when you can leave Somersetshire. Although
I cannot presume to think that my own wishes will have any special
influence in determining you to accept this invitation, I must
nevertheless acknowledge that I have a reason of my own for earnestly
desiring to see you here. Allan has innocently caused me a new anxiety
about my future relations with him, and I sorely need your advice to
show me the right way of setting that anxiety at rest.

"The difficulty which now perplexes me relates to the steward's place
at Thorpe Ambrose. Before to-day I only knew that Allan had hit on
some plan of his own for dealing with this matter, rather strangely
involving, among other results, the letting of the cottage which was
the old steward's place of abode, in consequence of the new steward's
contemplated residence in the great house. A chance word in our
conversation on the journey here led Allan into speaking out more
plainly than he had spoken yet, and I heard to my unutterable
astonishment that the person who was at the bottom of the whole
arrangement about the steward was no other than myself!

"It is needless to tell you how I felt this new instance of Allan's
kindness. The first pleasure of hearing from his own lips that I had
deserved the strongest proof he could give of his confidence in me was
soon dashed by the pain which mixes itself with all pleasure--at least,
with all that I have ever known. Never has my past life seemed so
dreary to look back on as it seems now, when I feel how entirely it has
unfitted me to take the place of all others that I should have liked to
occupy in my friend's service. I mustered courage to tell him that I had
none of the business knowledge and business experience which his steward
ought to possess. He generously met the objection by telling me that I
could learn; and he has promised to send to London for the person who
has already been employed for the time being in the steward's office,
and who will, therefore, be perfectly competent to teach me.

"Do you, too, think I can learn? If you do, I will work day and night to
instruct mys