ndfather thought him as straight as a
string in money matters."

"You said just now he was careless and extravagant."

"Well, I did him wrong, and I'm sorry for it. How did he manage to need
eighty thousand pounds?"

"It is rather a pitiful story, grandmother, but he never once blamed
those who were in the wrong. His son for many years had been the real
manager of the estate. He was a speculator; his grandsons were wild and
extravagant. They began to borrow money ten years ago and had to go on."

"Whom did they borrow from?"

"Fred Mostyn's father."

"The devil! Excuse me, Ethel--but the name suits and may stand."

"The dear old Squire would have taken the fault on himself if he could
have done so. They that wronged him were his own, and they were dead. He
never spoke of them but with affection."

"Poor Percival! Your father told me he was now out of Mostyn's power;
he said you had saved the estate, but he gave me no particulars. How did
you save it?"

"Bought it!"

"Nonsense!"

"House and lands and outlying farms and timber--everything."

Then a rosy color overspread Madam's face, her eyes sparkled, she rose
to her feet, made Ethel a sweeping courtesy, and said:

"My respect and congratulations to Ethel, Lady of Rawdon Manor."

"Dear grandmother, what else could I do?"

"You did right."

"The Squire is Lord of the Manor as long as he lives. My father says I
have done well to buy it. In the future, if I do not wish to keep it,
Nicholas Rawdon will relieve me at a great financial advantage."

"Why didn't you let Nicholas Rawdon buy it now?"

"He would have wanted prompt possession. The Squire would have had to
leave his home. It would have broken his heart."

"I dare say. He has a soft, loving heart. That isn't always a blessing.
It can give one a deal of suffering. And I hear you have all been making
idols of these Tyrrel-Rawdons. Fred tells me they are as vulgar a lot as
can be."

"Fred lies! Excuse me, grandmother--but the word suits and may stand.
Mr. Nicholas is pompous, and walks as slowly as if he had to carry the
weight of his great fortune; but his manners are all right, and his
wife and son are delightful. She is handsome, well dressed, and so
good-hearted that her pretty county idioms are really charming. John
Thomas is a man by himself--not handsome, but running over with good
temper, and exceedingly clever and wide-awake. Many times I was forced
to tell myself, John Thomas would mak