to
do."

"As to debts, of course they can't be paid without money. Sir Harry
will find it worth his while to settle any debts. But if there is
anything else, stop it at once." Of course there was something else,
and of course Lady Altringham knew what that something else was. She
demanded, in accordance with her scheme, that George should lose no
time. This was in May. It was known that Sir Harry intended to leave
town early in June. "Of course you will take him at his word, and go
to Humblethwaite when you leave us," she had said.

"No time has been named."

"Then you can name your own without difficulty. You will write from
Castle Corry and say you are coming. That is, if it's not all settled
by that time. Of course, it cannot be done in a minute, because
Sir Harry must consent; but I should begin at once,--only, Captain
Hotspur, leave nothing for them to find out afterwards. What is past
they will forgive." Such had been Lady Altringham's advice, and no
doubt she understood the matter which she had been discussing.

When George Hotspur entered the room, his cousin was dancing with a
prince. He could see her as he stood speaking a few words to Lady
Elizabeth. And in talking to Lady Elizabeth he did not talk as a
stranger would, or a common guest. He had quite understood all that
he might gain by assuming the intimacy of cousinhood, and he had
assumed it. Lady Elizabeth was less weary than before when he stood
by her, and accepted from his hand some little trifle of help, which
was agreeable to her. And he showed himself in no hurry, and told her
some little story that pleased her. What a pity it was that Cousin
George should be a scamp, she thought, as he went on to greet Sir
Harry.

And with Sir Harry he remained a minute or two. On such an occasion
as this Sir Harry was all smiles, and quite willing to hear a
little town gossip. "Come with the Altringhams, have you? I'm told
Altringham has just sold all his horses. What's the meaning of that?"

"The old story, Sir Harry. He has weeded his stable, and got the
buyers to think that they were getting the cream. There isn't a man
in England knows better what he's about than Altringham."

Sir Harry smiled his sweetest, and answered with some good-humoured
remark, but he said in his heart that "birds of a feather flock
together," and that his cousin was--not a man of honour.

There are some things that no rogue can do. He can understand what it
is to condemn rog