one all this in
such a manner that, as far as Harry knew, the law could not touch him,
though all the world was aware of his iniquity. And now he lay boasting
of what he had done. It was necessary that Harry should say something as
he rose from his seat, and he lamely expressed a wish that Mr.
Scarborough might quickly recover. "No, my dear fellow," said the
squire; "men do not recover when they are brought to such straits as I
am in. Nor do I wish it. Were I to live, Augustus would feel the second
injustice to be quite intolerable. His mind is lost in amazement at what
I had contemplated. And he feels that the matter can only be set right
between him and fortune by my dying at once. If he were to understand
that I were to live ten years longer, I think that he would either
commit a murder or lose his senses."

"But there is enough for both of you," said Harry.

"There is no such word in the language as enough. An estate can have but
one owner, and Augustus is anxious to be owner here. I do not blame him
in the least. Why should he desire to spare a father's rights when that
father showed himself so willing to sacrifice his? Good-bye, Annesley; I
am sorry you are going, for I like to have some honest fellow to talk
to. You are not to suppose that because I have done this thing I am
indifferent to what men shall say of me. I wish them to think me good,
though I have chosen to run counter to the prejudices of the world."

Then Harry escaped from the room, and spent the remaining evening with
Augustus Scarborough and Septimus Jones. The conversation was devoted
chiefly to the partridges and horses; and was carried on by Septimus
with severity toward Harry, and by Scarborough with an extreme civility
which was the more galling of the two.

CHAPTER IX.

AUGUSTUS HAS HIS OWN DOUBTS.

"That's an impertinent young puppy," said Septimus Jones as soon as the
fly which was to carry Harry Annesley to the station had left the
hall-door on the following morning. It may be presumed that Mr. Jones
would not thus have expressed himself unless his friend Augustus
Scarborough had dropped certain words in conversation in regard to Harry
to the same effect. And it may be presumed also that Augustus would not
have dropped such words without a purpose of letting his friend know
that Harry was to be abused. Augustus Scarborough had made up his mind,
looking at the matter all round, that more was to be got by abusing
Harry than b