een
altogether incomprehensible to him. "But I have a feeling about it,
Everett; and I hope you will share it. It is good that things should
go from father to son. I never make a promise; but the tenants know
what I think about it, and then the father works for the son. Why
should he work for a stranger? Sally Jones is a very good young
woman, and perhaps young John will do better." There was not a field
or a fence that he did not show to his heir;--hardly a tree which he
left without a word. "That bit of woodland coming in there,--they
call it Barnton Spinnies,--doesn't belong to the estate at all." This
he said in a melancholy tone.

"Doesn't it, really?"

"And it comes right in between Lane's farm and Puddock's. They've
always let me have the shooting as a compliment. Not that there's
ever anything in it. It's only seven acres. But I like the civility."

"Who does it belong to?"

"It belongs to Benet."

"What; Corpus Christi?"

"Yes, yes;--they've changed the name. It used to be Benet in my days.
Walker says the College would certainly sell, but you'd have to pay
for the land and the wood separately. I don't know that you'd get
much out of it; but it's very unsightly,--on the survey map, I mean."

"We'll buy it, by all means," said Everett, who was already jingling
his L60,000 in his pocket.

"I never had the money, but I think it should be bought." And Sir
Alured rejoiced in the idea that when his ghost should look at the
survey map, that hiatus of Barnton Spinnies would not trouble his
spectral eyes.

In this way months ran on at Wharton. Our Whartons had come down
in the latter half of August, and at the beginning of September Mr.
Wharton returned to London. Everett, of course, remained, as he
was still learning the lesson of which he was in truth becoming a
little weary; and at last Emily had also been persuaded to stay in
Herefordshire. Her father promised to return, not mentioning any
precise time, but giving her to understand that he would come before
the winter. He went, and probably found that his taste for the Eldon
and for whist had returned to him. In the middle of November old Mrs.
Fletcher arrived. Emily was not aware of what was being done; but,
in truth, the Fletchers and Whartons combined were conspiring with
the view of bringing her back to her former self. Mrs. Fletcher had
not yielded without some difficulty,--for it was a part of this
conspiracy that Arthur was to be allowed to marry