d up his eyebrows, but did not speak.

"Besides, sir, most of these men have lived for generations under the
Buxtons. I'd give you my life, they would not cheat me."

Mr. Henry coldly said:

"I imagine a close examination of these books by some accountant will be
the best proof of the honesty of these said tenants. If you will allow me,
I will write to a clever fellow I know, and desire him to come down and try
and regulate this mass of papers."

"Anything--anything you like," said Mr. Buxton, only too glad to escape
from the lawyer's cold, contemptuous way of treating the subject.

The accountant came; and he and Mr. Henry were deeply engaged in the office
for several days. Mr. Buxton was bewildered by the questions they asked
him. Mr. Henry examined him in the worrying way in which an unwilling
witness is made to give evidence. Many a time and oft did he heartily wish
he had gone on in the old course to the end of his life, instead of putting
himself into an agent's hands; but he comforted himself by thinking that,
at any rate, they would be convinced he had never allowed himself to be
cheated or imposed upon, although he did not make any parade of exactitude.

What was his dismay when, one morning, Mr. Henry sent to request his
presence, and, with a cold, clear voice, read aloud an admirably drawn up
statement, informing the poor landlord of the defalcations, nay more, the
impositions of those whom he had trusted. If he had been alone, he would
have burst into tears, to find how his confidence had been abused. But as
it was, he became passionately angry.

"I'll prosecute them, sir. Not a man shall escape. I'll make them pay back
every farthing, I will. And damages, too. Crayston, did you say, sir? Was
that one of the names? Why, that is the very Crayston who was bailiff under
my father for years. The scoundrel! And I set him up in my best farm when
he married. And he's been swindling me, has he?"

Mr. Henry ran over the items of the account--"421_l_, 13_s_. 4-3/4_d_. Part
of this I fear we cannot recover"----

He was going on, but Mr. Buxton broke in: "But I will recover it. I'll
have every farthing of it. I'll go to law with the viper. I don't care for
money, but I hate ingratitude."

"If you like, I will take counsel's opinion on the case," said Mr. Henry,
coolly.

"Take anything you please, sir. Why this Crayston was the first man that
set me on a horse--and to think of his cheating me!"

A few days a