le. Only the day before, the committee for managing
the public reception of the new squire had sketched the progress of the
procession; had settled the serious question of the triumphal arches;
and had appointed a competent person to solicit subscriptions for the
flags, the flowers, the feasting, the fireworks, and the band. In less
than a week more the money could have been collected, and the rector
would have written to Mr. Armadale to fix the day. And now, by Allan's
own act, the public welcome waiting to honor him had been cast back
contemptuously in the public teeth! Everybody took for granted (what
was unfortunately true) that he had received private information of
the contemplated proceedings. Everybody declared that he had purposely
stolen into his own house like a thief in the night (so the phrase ran)
to escape accepting the offered civilities of his neighbors. In brief,
the sensitive self-importance of the little town was wounded to the
quick, and of Allan's once enviable position in the estimation of the
neighborhood not a vestige remained.

For a moment, Midwinter faced the messenger of evil tidings in silent
distress. That moment past, the sense of Allan's critical position
roused him, now the evil was known, to seek the remedy.

"Has the little you have seen of your master, Richard, inclined you to
like him?" he asked.

This time the man answered without hesitation, "A pleasanter and kinder
gentleman than Mr. Armadale no one could wish to serve."

"If you think that," pursued Midwinter, "you won't object to give me
some information which will help your master to set himself right with
his neighbors. Come into the house."

He led the way into the library, and, after asking the necessary
questions, took down in writing a list of the names and addresses of the
most influential persons living in the town and its neighborhood. This
done, he rang the bell for the head footman, having previously sent
Richard with a message to the stables directing an open carriage to be
ready in an hour's time.

"When the late Mr. Blanchard went out to make calls in the neighborhood,
it was your place to go with him, was it not?" he asked, when the upper
servant appeared. "Very well. Be ready in an hour's time, if you please,
to go out with Mr. Armadale." Having given that order, he left the house
again on his way back to Allan, with the visiting list in his hand.
He smiled a little sadly as he descended the steps. "Who wo