veryone banked there, there was scarce a gentleman in the county or
a tradesman in the town, who was not hit more or less severely. The idea
was that Brander, whose name had been a tower of strength to the bank,
had been grossly negligent in allowing its affairs to get into such a
state. I think they were wrong, for I imagine from what I heard, that
Brander was correct in saying that he was not in any way in the counsels
of the directors, but confined himself to strictly legal business, such
as investigating titles and drawing up mortgages, and that he was only
present at the Board meetings when he was consulted on some legal
questions.

"Still there is no stemming the tide of popular opinion. Abchester
demanded a scapegoat. Cumming had disappeared, the five directors were
ruined, and so they fell upon Brander. He could have got over
that--indeed he has got over it as far as the town is concerned--but his
purchase of Fairclose set the county against him. They considered that
he got it for L20,000 below its value, which was true enough; the other
estates that went into the market were all sold at an equal
depreciation, but it was felt somehow that he at least ought not to have
profited by the disaster, and altogether there was so strong a feeling
against him that the county turned its back on Fairclose."

"By the way, Doctor, can you tell me when and how you first became aware
of the state of my father? The loss was so recent that I asked but few
questions about it when I was here, though you told me that you had
known it for some little time."

"I can give you the exact date," the doctor said, stretching out his
hand for a book on his desk. "Yes, here it is; it was the 23rd of March.
His man rode down with the news that he had found him insensible. Of
course I went up as hard as my horse could carry me. He had recovered
consciousness when I got there, and his first request was that I should
say nothing about his illness. When I examined him, I found that his
heart was badly diseased, so badly that I told him frankly he had not
many weeks to live, and that, as the slightest shock might prove fatal,
I absolutely forbade him to ride. He said he hated to be made a fuss of.
I urged him at least to let me write to you, but he positively refused,
saying that you would be greatly cut up about it, and that he would much
rather go on as he was. The only exception he made was Brander. He was
the only soul to whom I spoke of it.