lothes, also to a barber and let him
dress my hair. This I did, and, in spite of the dreariness of my
prospect, I must confess I was pleased at the change made in my
appearance; for youth, I suppose, always loves finery; and thus,
although I could see no meaning in his advice, I was glad the lawyer had
given it.

The next day I tried to get admission into Pennington House, but in this
I was unsuccessful. The servant told me I could not be admitted,
although I thought he spoke respectfully to me. This fact I attributed
to my fine attire. As for Eli, he was constantly watching the house,
and although I asked him many questions concerning his investigations,
he was silent as the Sphinx, neither would he communicate to me his
thoughts. Indeed, at this time I began to doubt the loyalty of Eli. He
knew that my heart was almost breaking with disappointment, and yet he
was cheerful and gay. He did not sympathise with me in my sorrows,
neither did he speak one helpful word.

Altogether at this time my condition was deplorable. My love was cut off
from me, and my sky was black from horizon to horizon.

This went on for several days, and then I found that Naomi's father had
made his home at Pennington, and that he had been visited by lawyers and
others interested in the Trevose Estate. I learnt, too, that no
objections whatever had been raised as to his assuming the
proprietorship, and that all legal forms had been satisfactorily
complied with. And yet neither he nor Naomi sent me one word of cheer;
nay, they did not even recognise my existence, which, it must be
admitted, was hard to bear. Then, as if to add another drop to the
filled goblet of my sorrow, I one day met the Pennington carriage, in
which was seated Richard Tresidder and Nick, together with John Penryn
and my love, but none of them noticed me; nay, not even Naomi gave me as
much as a nod. This, as may be imagined, made my prospects darker than
ever, for I felt that my love's father had taken the Tresidders' part
against me.

And yet I could not drive away from my heart the feeling that my love
loved me. I remembered our meeting in the summer-house in Lanherne
Garden, I remembered the words she spoke; nay, more, I felt the joy of
her kisses, and so I could not wholly despair. On the other hand,
however, I felt that she was now under the control of her father, and if
his mind had been poisoned against me my case was indeed hopeless.

Indeed, within a week from t