in consequence, upon your own head be it. You may smile at
my words, and disregard them as idle threats which I am powerless to
fulfil, but remember, you have no longer a helpless girl to deal with,
but a determined man, who, with right and justice on his side, may yet
thwart your cunningly devised schemes;--and so, having given you fair
warning, I will leave you."

"Allow me to mention one fact, young sir," returned Mr. Vernor, "which
demands your serious attention, as it may prevent you from committing
a fatal error, and save you all further trouble. Should Clara Saville
marry without my consent, she does so penniless, and the fortune
devolves upon the next heir; ha!" he exclaimed, as I was unable to
repress an exclamation of pleasure, "have I touched you there?"

"You have indeed, sir," was my reply; "for you have removed the only
scruple which stood in my way. No one can now accuse me of interested
motives; 'needy fortune-hunters' do not seek to ally themselves to
portionless damsels; allow me to offer you my best thanks for your
information, and to wish you good-morning, sir."

So saying, I rose and quitted the room, leaving Mr. Vernor, in a state
of ill-suppressed rage, to the enjoyment of his own reflections.

On entering the hall, I found old Peter Barnett awaiting me. As I
appeared, his stiff features lighted up with a most sagacious grin of
intelligence, and approaching me, he whispered:--

"Did ye give it him strong?" (indicating the person he referred to by
an expressive jerk of his thumb towards the library door). "I heard ye
blowing of him up--but did ye give it him reg'lar strong?"

"I certainly told Mr. Vernor my opinion with tolerable plainness,"
replied I, smiling at the intense delight which was visible in every
line of the strange old face beside me.

"No! Did ye?--did ye? That was right," was the rejoinder. "Lor! how I
wish I'd a been there to see; but I heard ye though--I heard ye a giving
it to him," and again he relapsed into a paroxysm of delight.

"Peter," said I, "I want to have a little private conversation with
you--how is that to be managed? Is there any place near where you could
meet me?" ~304~~ "You come here from Hillingford, didn't ye, sir?" I
nodded assent. He continued:--"Did you notice a hand-post which stands
where four roads meet, about a mile and a half from here?"

"I saw it," returned I, "and even tried to read what was painted on it,
but of course, after the manner o