od of his allotted banishment--twelve months, namely, and a day.

CHAPTER XXXI

The Small End of the Wedge

Frank Gresham was absent from Greshamsbury twelve months and a day: a
day is always added to the period of such absences, as shown in the
history of Lord Bateman and other noble heroes. We need not detail
all the circumstances of his banishment, all the details of the
compact that was made. One detail of course was this, that there
should be no corresponding; a point to which the squire found some
difficulty in bringing his son to assent.

It must not be supposed that Mary Thorne or the doctor were in any
way parties to, or privy to these agreements. By no means. The
agreements were drawn out, and made, and signed, and sealed at
Greshamsbury, and were known of nowhere else. The reader must not
imagine that Lady Arabella was prepared to give up her son, if
only his love could remain constant for one year. Neither did Lady
Arabella consent to any such arrangement, nor did the squire. It was
settled rather in this wise: that Frank should be subjected to no
torturing process, pestered to give no promises, should in no way be
bullied about Mary--that is, not at present--if he would go away for
a year. Then, at the end of the year, the matter should again be
discussed. Agreeing to this, Frank took his departure, and was absent
as per agreement.

What were Mary's fortunes immediately after his departure must be
shortly told, and then we will again join some of our Greshamsbury
friends at a period about a month before Frank's return.

When Sir Louis saw Frank Gresham standing by Mary's donkey, with
his arms round Mary's knees, he began to fear that there must be
something in it. He had intended that very day to throw himself
at Mary's feet, and now it appeared to his inexperienced eyes as
though somebody else had been at the same work before him. This not
unnaturally made him cross; so, after having sullenly wished the
visitor good-bye, he betook himself to his room, and there drank
curacoa alone, instead of coming down to dinner.

This he did for two or three days, and then, taking heart of grace,
he remembered that, after all, he had very many advantages over young
Gresham. In the first place, he was a baronet, and could make his
wife a "lady." In the next place, Frank's father was alive and like
to live, whereas his own was dead. He possessed Boxall Hill in his
own right, but his rival had neither hous