remained with his chin upon his breast.

"I had left Polly, sir--God bless her! she'd made me very happy with
what she said--and I was taking a short cut back to try and catch you,
sir, when I came upon you sudden like."

"Yes," said Richard, looking him full in the face. "But it was no fault
of mine. I thought I was too happy for it to last. But I'll be a man
over it. Humphrey," he exclaimed, rousing himself, "they educated me to
be a gentleman, and I won't belie them there. Once for all, I am very
sorry, and I'll make you every restitution in my power."

"Well, sir, I did wonder why she was always so hard to me: but I don't
understand you, sir," said Humphrey, quietly.

"Don't sir me, man," exclaimed Richard, passionately.

"Don't be cross with me about it, Master Dick," said Humphrey, smiling;
"'taint my fault."

"No, no, my good fellow, I know. Oh, it was monstrous!"

He turned away his head.

"Do you think it's all true, Master Richard," said Humphrey, quietly;
"it seems so wild-like."

"True enough. Oh yes, it's true. But there, we won't talk."

"But I think we'd better, sir."

"Haven't I told you that I'll make you restitution, man--give up all?"

"Master Richard," said Humphrey, with a happy smile on his face, "you've
give up to me my little love, and made me feel as if there was nothing
else in the world I'd care to have. Look ye here, sir, it's stunned me
like; it's hard, you know, to understand. I'm only a poor fellow like,
come what may; and if I had the place--oh, you know, it just sounds like
so much nonsense!--what could me and Polly do with it, when we could be
happier at the lodge? It makes me laugh--it do indeed, sir. You, you
see, have been made a scholar, and have your big friends--been made a
gentleman, in fact--and nothing would ever make one of me. Let's go on,
then, as we are, sir. I'm willing. Only sometimes Polly, maybe, 'll
want a new dress, or a ribbon, or something of that kind; and then, if I
ask you, you'll give me half a sovereign, or may be a sovereign, eh?"

"Half a sovereign--a sovereign! Why, man, can you not realise that you
have from now eight thousand a year?"

"No, sir, that I can't," said Humphrey, smiling pleasantly. "I never
was good at figures. Dogs, you know, or horses, or anything in the
farming line, I'm pretty tidy at; but figures bothers me. Let things
stop as they are, sir; I won't say a word, even to Polly."

"Humphrey," said Richard