ish, and sought quietness and retirement
himself, without any expression of impatience with, or sign of peevishness
at, the stir and bustle around him.

As a matter of course, the history and character of Mr Mowbray excited, at
least for a time, much speculation in the neighbourhood; and these
speculations, as a matter of course, also, as we may venture to say, were
not in general of the most charitable description. One of these held forth
that he was a retired highwayman, who had sought a quiet corner in which to
enjoy the fruits of his industry, and to avoid the impertinences of the
law; another held that he was a murderer, who had fled from justice;
another that he was a bankrupt, who had swindled his creditors; a fourth,
that he was a forger, who had done business in that way to a vast extent.

As to the nature of the crime which Mr Mowbray had committed, it will be
seen that there were various opinions; but that he had committed some
enormous crimes of some sort or other, was a universal opinion--in this
general sentiment all agreed.

Amongst other mysteries, was that involved in the query--where did he get
his money? Where did it come from? He did not, indeed, seem to have the
command of very extensive resources; but always to have enough to pay
punctually and promptly everything he desired, and to settle all pecuniary
claims upon him.

His remittances, it was also ascertained, came to him, from whatever
quarter it might be, regularly twice a-year, per the English mail, which
passed within a mile and a half of West Mains. The exact amount of these
remittances, which were always in gold, and put up in a small, neat, tight
parcel, was never exactly known; but was supposed, on pretty good grounds,
to be, each, somewhere about a hundred and fifty guineas, one of which went
to Mr Adair; for Mr Mowbray had, of his own accord, added fifty guineas per
annum to the hundred which he had first promised. The other hundred and
fifty was disposed of in various ways, or left to accumulate with their
owner. Such, then, was the amount of information acquired regarding Mr
Mowbray's pecuniary resources; and more, on this point, or any other
regarding him, could not, by any means, be arrived at.

By the end of the period, however, which we have above named--namely, two
years--public opinion had, we must observe, undergone a considerable
modification in Mr Mowbray's favour. He had been gradually acquitted of his
various crimes; an