y it."

"Oh, is it that whip, John?" said the wife, who had been attracted from
the back parlour by the sight of the handsome young stranger. "Don't you
remember, it's a many year ago, a gentleman who passed a day with Squire
Courtland, when he first come to settle here, called and left the whip
to have a new thong put to it. But I fancies he forgot it, Sir, (turning
to Walter,) for he never called for it again; and the Squire's people
said as how he was a gone into Yorkshire; so there the whip's been ever
sin. I remembers it, Sir, 'cause I kept it in the little parlour nearly
a year, to be in the way like."

"Ah! I thinks I do remember it now," said Master Holwell. "I should
think it's a matter of twelve yearn ago. I suppose I may sell it without
fear of the gentleman's claiming it again."

"Not more than twelve years!" said Walter, anxiously, for it was some
seventeen years since his father had been last heard of by his family.

"Why it may be thirteen, Sir, or so, more or less, I can't say exactly."

"More likely fourteen!" said the Dame, "it can't be much more, Sir, we
have only been a married fifteen year come next Christmas! But my old
man here, is ten years older nor I."

"And the gentleman, you say, was at Mr. Courtland's."

"Yes, Sir, that I'm sure of," replied the intelligent Mrs. Holwell;
"they said he had come lately from Ingee."

Walter now despairing of hearing more, purchased the whip; and blessing
the worldly wisdom of Sir Peter Hales, that had thus thrown him on a
clue, which, however faint and distant, he resolved to follow up, he
inquired the way to Squire Courtland's, and proceeded thither at once.

CHAPTER VII.

WALTER VISITS ANOTHER OF HIS UNCLE'S FRIENDS.--MR. COURTLAND'S
STRANGE COMPLAINT.--WALTER LEARNS NEWS OF HIS FATHER, WHICH
SURPRISES HIM.--THE CHANGE IN HIS DESTINATION.

God's my life, did you ever hear the like, what a strange man is
this!

What you have possessed me withall, I'll discharge it amply.
--Ben Jonson's Every Man in his Humour.

Mr. Courtland's house was surrounded by a high wall, and stood at the
outskirts of the town. A little wooden door buried deep within the
wall, seemed the only entrance. At this Walter paused, and after twice
applying to the bell, a footman of a peculiarly grave and sanctimonious
appearance, opened the door.

In reply to Walter's inquiries, he informed him that Mr. Courtland was
very unwell, and never saw "