her to be in process of
acquiring a sound knowledge of the provincial affairs of the house by
attending to the working of their branch establishments in the Eastern
counties.

"How do you do, Quest?" said Edward Cossey, nodding somewhat coldly to
the lawyer and sitting down. "Any business?"

"Well, yes, Mr. Cossey," answered the lawyer, rising respectfully,
"there is some business, some very serious business."

"Indeed," said Edward indifferently, "what is it?"

"Well, it is this, the house has ordered a foreclosure on the Honham
Castle estates--at least it comes to that----"

On hearing this intelligence Edward Cossey's whole demeanour underwent
the most startling transformation--his languor vanished, his eye
brightened, and his form became instinct with active life and beauty.

"What the deuce," he said, and then paused. "I won't have it," he went
on, jumping up, "I won't have it. I am not particularly fond of old de
la Molle, perhaps because he is not particularly fond of me," he added
rather drolly, "but it would be an infernal shame to break up that
family and sell the house over them. Why they would be ruined! And
then there's Ida--Miss de la Molle, I mean--what would become of her?
And the old place too. After being in the family for all these
centuries I suppose that it would be sold to some confounded counter-
skipper or some retired thief of a lawyer. It must be prevented at any
price--do you hear, Quest?"

The lawyer winced a little at his chief's contemptuous allusion, and
then remarked with a smile, "I had no idea that you were so
sentimental, Mr. Cossey, or that you took such a lively interest in
Miss de la Molle," and he glanced up to observe the effect of his
shot.

Edward Cossey coloured. "I did not mean that I took any particular
interest in Miss de la Molle," he said, "I was referring to the
family."

"Oh, quite so, though I'm sure I don't know why you shouldn't. Miss de
la Molle is one of the most charming women that I ever met, I think
the most charming except my own wife Belle," and he again looked up
suddenly at Edward Cossey who, for his part, coloured for the second
time.

"It seems to me," went on the lawyer, "that a man in your position has
a most splendid opportunity of playing knight errant to the lovely
damsel in distress. Here is the lady with her aged father about to be
sold up and turned out of the estates which have belonged to her
family for generations--why don't you do