e truth
concerning 'The Seven Stars'?" she asked. But Mr. Legg, simple though he
might be, was not as simple as that.

"No," he replied. "There's few things I wouldn't do for you, on the
earth or in the waters under the earth, and I say that, even though
you've turned me down after lifting the light of hope. But for me to see
Gurd on this subject is impossible. It's far too delicate. Another man
might, but not me, because he knows that I stand in the unfortunate
position of the cast out. So if there's one man that can't go to Gurd
and demand reparation on your account, I'm that man. In a calmer moment,
you'll be the first to see it."

"I suppose that is so. He'd think, if you talked sense to him, you had
an axe to grind and treat you according. You've suffered enough."

"I have without a doubt, and shall continue to do so," he answered her.

"I think just as much of you as ever I did notwithstanding," said Mrs.
Northover. "And I'll go so far as to say that your simple goodness and
calm sense under all circumstances might wear better in the long run
than Richard's overbearing way and cruel conceit. Be honest, Job. Do you
yourself think 'The Tiger' is a finer house and more famous than my
place?"

Mr. Legg perceived very accurately where Nelly suffered most.

"This house," he declared, "have got the natural advantages and Gurd
have got the pull in the matter of capital. My candid opinion, what I've
come to after many years of careful thought on the subject, is that if
we--I say 'we' from force of habit, though I'm in the outer darkness
now--if we had a few hundred pounds spending on us and an advertisement
to holiday people in the papers sometimes, then in six months we
shouldn't hear any more about 'The Tiger.' Cash, spent by the hand of a
master on 'The Seven Stars,' would lift us into a different house and we
should soon be known to cater for a class that wouldn't recognise 'The
Tiger.' What we want is a bit of gold and white paint before next summer
and all those delicate marks about the place that women understand and
value. I've often thought that a new sign for example, with seven golden
stars on a sky blue background, and perhaps even a flagstaff in the
pleasure grounds, with our own flag flying upon it, would, as it were,
widen the gulf between him and you. But, of course, that was before
these things happened, and when I was thinking, day and night you may
say, how to catch the custom."

Mrs. Northover s