as Sowerby was attempting to cheat the duke. It
may be imagined, therefore, that Mr. Sowerby did not feel any very
great delight in attending at South Audley Street. And then rumour
was spread about among all the bill-discounting leeches that blood
was once more to be sucked from the Sowerby carcass. The rich Miss
Dunstable had taken up his affairs; so much as that became known in
the purlieus of the Goat and Compasses. Tom Tozer's brother declared
that she and Sowerby were going to make a match of it, and that any
scrap of paper with Sowerby's name on it would become worth its
weight in bank-notes; but Tom Tozer himself--Tom, who was the real
hero of the family--pooh-poohed at this, screwing up his nose, and
alluding in most contemptuous terms to his brother's softness. He
knew better--as was indeed the fact. Miss Dunstable was buying up the
squire, and by Jingo she should buy them up--them, the Tozers, as
well as others! They knew their value, the Tozers did;--whereupon
they became more than ordinarily active. From them and all their
brethren Mr. Sowerby at this time endeavoured to keep his distance,
but his endeavours were not altogether effectual. Whenever he could
escape for a day or two from the lawyers he ran down to Chaldicotes;
but Tom Tozer in his perseverance followed him there, and boldly sent
in his name by the servant at the front door.

"Mr. Sowerby is not just at home at the present moment," said the
well-trained domestic.

"I'll wait about then," said Tom, seating himself on an heraldic
stone griffin which flanked the big stone steps before the house.
And in this way Mr. Tozer gained his purpose. Sowerby was still
contesting the county, and it behoved him not to let his enemies say
that he was hiding himself. It had been a part of his bargain with
Miss Dunstable that he should contest the county. She had taken it
into her head that the duke had behaved badly, and she had resolved
that he should be made to pay for it. "The duke," she said, "had
meddled long enough;" she would now see whether the Chaldicotes
interest would not suffice of itself to return a member for the
county, even in opposition to the duke. Mr. Sowerby himself was so
harassed at the time, that he would have given way on this point if
he had had the power; but Miss Dunstable was determined, and he was
obliged to yield to her. In this manner Mr. Tom Tozer succeeded and
did make his way into Mr. Sowerby's presence--of which intrusion on