d to a country house have seldom compassion
enough for the dulness of its owner to stay more than three days. Mr.
Chillingly Mivers, indeed, had not exceeded that orthodox limit. Quietly
observant, during his stay, of young Gordon's manner towards Cecilia,
and hers towards him, he had satisfied himself that there was no
cause to alarm Sir Peter, or induce the worthy baronet to regret the
invitation he had given to that clever kinsman. For all the visitors
remaining Exmundham had a charm.

To Lady Glenalvon, because in the hostess she met her most familiar
friend when both were young girls, and because it pleased her to note
the interest which Cecilia Travers took in the place so associated with
memories of the man to whom it was Lady Glenalvon's hope to see her
united. To Chillingly Gordon, because no opportunity could be so
favourable for his own well-concealed designs on the hand and heart of
the heiress. To the heiress herself the charm needs no explanation.

To Leopold Travers the attractions of Exmundham were unquestionably less
fascinating. Still even he was well pleased to prolong his stay. His
active mind found amusement in wandering over an estate the acreage of
which would have warranted a much larger rental, and lecturing Sir Peter
on the old-fashioned system of husbandry which that good-natured easy
proprietor permitted his tenants to adopt, as well as on the number of
superfluous hands that were employed on the pleasure-grounds and in the
general management of the estate, such as carpenters, sawyers, woodmen,
bricklayers, and smiths.

When the Squire said, "You could do just as well with a third of those
costly dependants," Sir Peter, unconsciously plagiarizing the answer of
the old French grand seigneur, replied, "Very likely. But the question
is, could the rest do just as well without me?"

Exmundham, indeed, was a very expensive place to keep up. The house,
built by some ambitious Chillingly three centuries ago, would have been
large for an owner of thrice the revenues; and though the flower-garden
was smaller than that at Braefieldville, there were paths and drives
through miles of young plantations and old woodlands that furnished lazy
occupation to an army of labourers. No wonder that, despite his nominal
ten thousand a year, Sir Peter was far from being a rich man. Exmundham
devoured at least half the rental. The active mind of Leopold Travers
also found ample occupation in the stores of his host'