considerably relieved by his guest's departure.

Mrs. Tadman rushed at once to the expression of her fears.

"Stephen Whitelaw," she exclaimed solemnly, "tell us the worst at once.
It's no good keeping things back from us. That man has come here to turn
us out of house and home. You've sold Wyncomb."

"Sold Wyncomb! Have you gone crazy, you old fool?" cried Mr. Whitelaw,
contemplating his kinswoman with a most evil expression of countenance.
"What's put that stuff in your head?"

"Your own doings, Stephen, and that man's. What does he come here for,
with his masterful ways, unless it's to turn us out of house and home?
What did you show him the house for? Nigh upon an hour you were out of
this room with him, if you were a minute. Why did money pass from him to
you? I saw you put it in your pocket--a bundle of bank-notes."

"You're a prying old catemeran!" cried Mr. Whitelaw savagely, "and a
drunken old fool into the bargain.--Why do you let her muddle herself
with the gin-bottle like that, Ellen? You ought to have more respect for
my property. You don't call that taking care of your husband's house.--As
for you, mother Tadman, if you treat me to any more of this nonsense, you
will find yourself turned out of house and home a precious deal sooner
than you bargained for; but it won't be because of my selling Wyncomb.
Sell Wyncomb, indeed! I've about as much thought of going up in a
balloon, as of parting with a rood or a perch of my father's land."

This was a very long speech for Mr. Whitelaw; and, having finished it, he
sank into his chair, quite exhausted by the unusual effort, and refreshed
himself with copious libations of gin-and-water.

"What was that man here for, then, Stephen? It's only natural I should
want to know that," said Mrs. Tadman, abashed, but not struck dumb by her
kinsman's reproof.

"What's that to you? Business. Yes, there _has_ been money pass between
us, and it's rather a profitable business for me. Perhaps it was
horse-racing, perhaps it wasn't. That's about all you've any call to
know. I've made money by it, and not lost. And now, don't let me be
bothered about it any more, if you and me are to keep friends."

"I'm sure, Stephen," Mrs. Tadman remonstrated in a feebly plaintive tone,
"I've no wish to bother you; there's nothing farther from my thoughts;
but it's only natural that I should be anxious about a place where I've
lived so many years. Not but what I could get my living easy e