ering with young Gresham about the Crown
property. I had no idea that she had so much business at her fingers'
ends. When I first proposed the matter she took it up quite as a
lawyer might, and seemed to have forgotten altogether what occurred
about that other matter."

"I wish I could forget it also," said Mr. Sowerby.

"I really think that she does. When I was obliged to make some
allusion to it--at least I felt myself obliged, and was very sorry
afterwards that I did--she merely laughed--a great loud laugh as she
always does, and then went on about the business. However, she was
clear about this, that all the expenses of the election should be
added to the sum to be advanced by her, and that the house should be
left to you without any rent. If you choose to take the land round
the house you must pay for it, by the acre, as the tenants do. She
was as clear about it all as though she had passed her life in a
lawyer's office."

My readers will now pretty well understand what last step that
excellent sister, Mrs. Harold Smith, had taken on her brother's
behalf, nor will they be surprised to learn that in the course
of the day Mr. Sowerby hurried back to town and put himself into
communication with Miss Dunstable's lawyer.

CHAPTER XXXVIII

Is There Cause or Just Impediment?

I now purpose to visit another country house in Barsetshire, but on
this occasion our sojourn shall be in the eastern division, in which,
as in every other county in England, electioneering matters are
paramount at the present moment. It has been mentioned that Mr.
Gresham, junior, young Frank Gresham as he was always called, lived
at a place called Boxall Hill. This property had come to his wife by
will, and he was now settled there,--seeing that his father still
held the family seat of the Greshams at Greshamsbury. At the present
moment Miss Dunstable was staying at Boxall Hill with Mrs. Frank
Gresham. They had left London, as, indeed, all the world had done,
to the terrible dismay of the London tradesmen. This dissolution of
Parliament was ruining everybody except the country publicans, and
had of course destroyed the London season among other things.

Mrs. Harold Smith had only just managed to catch Miss Dunstable
before she left London; but she did do so, and the great heiress
had at once seen her lawyers, and instructed them how to act with
reference to the mortgages on the Chaldicotes property. Miss
Dunstable was in the habit