ke it easy, young
gentleman. Do you feel yourself quite prepared?"

I am afraid my rejoinder was more energetic than correct; but it
appeared to produce greater effect than my entreaties had done, for he
continued:--

"Well I see you will have it out, so you must, I suppose; only if you
ain't prepared proper, don't blame me. As far as I can see and hear--and
I keeps my eyes and ears open pretty wide, I can tell you--I feels
convinced that Miss Clara's guv you the sack, and gone and taken ~392~~
up with another young man." As he delivered himself of this pleasant
opinion, old Peter slowly approached me, and ended by laying his hands
solemnly on my shoulders, and, with an expression of fearful import
stamped on his grotesque features, nodded thrice in my very face.

"Nonsense!" replied I, assuming an air of indifference I was far from
feeling; "such a thing is utterly impossible--you have deceived yourself
in some ridiculous manner."

"I only wish as I could think so, for all our sakes, Mr. Fairlegh; but
facts is like jackasses, precious stubborn things. Why are they always
a-walking together, and talking so loving like, that even the old un
hisself looks quite savage about it? And why ain't she never wrote to
you since he cum--though she's had all your letters--eh?"

"Then she _has_ received my letters?"

"Oh, yes! she's always had them the same as usual."

"And are you sure she has never written to me?"

"Not as I know on; I've never had one to send to you since she's took up
with this other chap."

"And pray who or what is this other chap, as you call him, and how comes
he to be staying at Barstone?"

"Well, sir, all as I can tell you about him is, that nigh upon a
fortnight ago Muster Richard come home, looking precious ill and seedy;
and the wery next morning he had a letter from this chap, as I take it.
I brought it to him just as they rung for the breakfast things to be
took away, so I had a chance of stopping in the room. Direc'ly he sot
eyes on the handwriting, he looked as black as night, and seemed all
of a tremble like as he hopened it. As he read he seemed to get less
frightened and more cross; and when he'd finished it, he 'anded it to
the old un, saying, 'It's all smooth, but he's taken it into his head to
come down here. What's to be done, eh? 'Mr. Vernor read it through, and
then said in an under tone,' 'Of course he must come if he chooses'.
He then whispered something of which I only caught