ough also wished to see Mr. Grey before his son, and
had been on the alert to watch for his coming.

On the landing he met Miss Scarborough. "He does seem to keep up his
strength," said the lady. "Mr. Merton is living in the house now, and
watches him very closely." Mr. Merton was a resident young doctor, whom
Sir William Brodrick had sent down to see that all medical appliances
were at hand as the sick man might require them. Then Mr. Grey was shown
in, and found the squire recumbent on a sofa, with a store of books
within his reach, and reading apparatuses of all descriptions, and every
appliance which the ingenuity of the skilful can prepare for the relief
of the sick and wealthy.

"This is very kind of you, Mr. Grey," said the squire, speaking in a
cheery voice. "I wanted you to come very much, but I hardly thought that
you would take the trouble. Augustus is here, you know."

"So I have heard from that gentleman down-stairs."

"Mr. Jones? I have never had the pleasure of seeing Mr. Jones. What sort
of a gentleman is Mr. Jones to look at?"

"Very much like other gentlemen."

"I dare say. He has done me the honor to stay a good deal at my house
lately. Augustus never comes without him. He is 'Fidus Achates,' I take
it, to Augustus. Augustus has never asked whether he can be received. Of
course it does not matter. When a man is the eldest son, and, so to say,
the only one, he is apt to take liberties with his father's house. I am
so sorry that in my position I cannot do the honors and receive him
properly. He is a very estimable and modest young man, I believe?" As
Mr. Grey had not come down to Tretton either to be a spy on Mr. Jones or
to answer questions concerning him, he held his tongue. "Well, Mr. Grey,
what do you think about it;--eh?" This was a comprehensive question, but
Mr. Grey well understood its purport. What did he, Mr. Grey, think of
the condition to which the affairs of Tretton had been brought, and
those of Mr. Scarborough himself and of his two sons? What did he think
of Mountjoy, who had disappeared and was still absent? What did he think
of Augustus, who was not showing his gratitude in the best way for all
that had been done for him? And what did he think of the squire himself,
who from his death-bed had so well contrived to have his own way in
everything,--to do all manner of illegal things without paying any of the
penalties to which illegality is generally subject? And having asked the
qu