as it seemed to me."

"Quite unnecessary," said Mr. Snapper. "And the bishop will be obliged
to you, Mr. Crawley, if you'll just see that the things go on all
straight."

"I wish it were possible to know with accuracy what his idea of
straightness is," said Mr. Crawley to his wife. "It may be that things
are straight to him when they are buried as it were out of sight, and
put away without trouble. I hope it be not so with the bishop." When
he went into his school and remembered,--as he did remember through
every minute of his teaching,--that he was to receive no portion of
the poor stipend which was allotted for the clerical duties of the
parish, he told himself that there was gross injustice in the way in
which things were being made straight at Hogglestock.

But we must go back to the major and to the archdeacon at
Plumstead,--in which comfortable parish things were generally made
straight more easily than at Hogglestock. Henry Grantly went over
from Barchester to Plumstead in a gig from the the "Dragon", and made
his way at once into his father's study. The archdeacon was seated
there with sundry manuscripts before him, and with one half-finished
manuscript,--as was his wont on every Saturday morning. "Halloo,
Harry," he said. "I didn't expect you in the least." It was barely
an hour since he had told Mrs. Grantly that his complaint against his
son was that he wouldn't come and make himself comfortable at the
rectory.

"Father," said he, giving the archdeacon his hand, "you have heard
nothing yet about Mr. Crawley?"

"No," said the archdeacon, jumping up; "nothing new;--what is it?"
Many ideas about Mr. Crawley at that moment flitted across the
archdeacon's mind. Could it be that the unfortunate man had committed
suicide, overcome by his troubles?

"It has all come out. He got the cheque from my aunt."

"From your aunt Eleanor?"

"Yes; from my aunt Eleanor. She has telegraphed over from Venice
to say that she gave the identical cheque to Crawley. That is all
we know at present,--except that she has written an account of the
matter to you, and that she will be here herself as quick as she can
come."

"Who got the message, Henry?"

"Crawley's lawyer,--a fellow named Toogood, a cousin of his
wife's;--a very decent fellow," added the major, remembering how
necessary it was that he should reconcile his father to all the
Crawley belongings. "He's to be over here on Monday, and then will
arrange what is to b