r complain, Canon Birch," said Lady Belstone, resignedly; "but
it is a great relief, as I cannot deny, to open my mind to you, who
know so well what this place used to be like in my dear brother's
time."

The canon had been absent from Youlestone on a long holiday, and on
his return found that the workmen, who had reigned over Barracombe for
nearly two years, had at length departed.

The inhabitants had been hunted from one part of the house to another
as the work proceeded; but now the usual living-rooms had been
restored to their occupants, and peace and order prevailed, where all
had been noise and confusion.

"I should not have known the place," said the canon, gazing round him.

"Nor I. We make a point of _saying_ nothing," said Miss Crewys,
pathetically, "but it's almost impossible not to _look_ now and then."

"Speak for yourself, Georgina," said her sister, with asperity. "One
can't _look_ furniture out of one room and into another."

The old ladies sat forlornly in their corner by the great open hearth,
whereon the logs were piled in readiness for a fire, because they
often found the early June evenings chilly. But the sofa with
broken springs, which they specially affected, had been mended, and
recovered; and was no longer, they sadly agreed, near so comfortable
as in its crippled past.

The banqueting-hall, which was the very heart of Barracombe House, had
been carefully and skilfully restored to its ancient dignity.

The paint and graining, which had disfigured its mighty beams and
solid panelling, had been removed; and the freshly polished oak shone
forth in its noble age, shorn of all tawdry disguise.

The spaces of wall and roof between the beams, and above the panels,
were now of a creamy tint not far removed, as the two indignant
critics pointed out, from common whitewash. A great screen of Spanish
leather sheltered the door from the vestibule, and secured somewhat
more privacy for the hall as a sitting-room.

The Vandyck commanded the staircase, attracting immediate attention,
as it faced the principal entry. In the wide space between the two
great windows were two portraits of equal size; the famous Sir Peter
Crewys, by Lely, painted to resemble, as nearly as possible, his royal
master, in dress and attitude; and his brother Timothy, by Kneller.

Farmer Timothy's small, shrewd, grey eyes appeared to follow the gazer
all over the hall; and his sober wearing apparel, a plain green coat
with