y was placed. He had felt
that it would be impossible to speak to the father of his affection
for the daughter without any allusion to the coming trial; and he did
not know how such allusion could be made. Thinking of this, he had at
different times almost resolved not to call at Hogglestock till the
trial should be over. Then he would go there, let the result of the
trial have been what it might. But it had now become necessary for
him to go on at once. His father had precipitated matters by his
appeal to Grace. He would appeal to Grace's father, and reach Grace
through his influence.

He drove over to Hogglestock, feeling himself to be anything but
comfortable as he came near to the house. And when he did reach the
spot he was somewhat disconcerted to find that another visitor was in
the house before him. He presumed this to be the case, because there
stood a little pony horse,--an animal which did not recommend itself
to his instructed eye,--attached by its rein to the palings. It was
a poor humble-looking beast, whose knees had very lately become
acquainted with the hard and sharp stones of a newly-mended highway.
The blood was even now red upon the wounds.

"He'll never be much good again," said the major to his servant.

"That he won't, sir," said the man. "But I don't think he's been very
much good for some time back."

"I shouldn't like to have to ride him into Silverbridge," said the
major, descending from the gig, and instructing his servant to move
the horse and gig about as long as he might remain within the house.
Then he walked across the little garden and knocked at the door. The
door was immediately opened, and in the passage he found Mr. Crawley,
and another clergyman whom the reader will recognise as Mr. Thumble.
Mr. Thumble had come over to make arrangements as to the Sunday
services and the parochial work, and had been very urgent in
impressing on Mr. Crawley that the duties were to be left entirely
to himself. Hence had come some bitter words, in which Mr. Crawley,
though no doubt he said the sharper things of the two, had not been
able to vanquish his enemy so completely as he had done on former
occasions.

"There must be no interference, my dear sir,--none whatever, if you
please," Mr. Thumble had said.

"There shall be none of which the bishop shall have reason to
complain," Mr. Crawley had replied.

"There must be none at all, Mr. Crawley, if you please. It is only
on that understandin