id not a word in the matter to any one. Indeed,
since that day on which she had been confronted with Mollett, she had
not associated with the servants at all, but had kept herself close
to her mistress. She understood what it all meant perfectly; and the
depth of the tragedy had so cowed her spirit that she hardly dared
to speak of it. Who told the servants,--or who does tell servants of
such matters, it is impossible to say; but before Mr. Prendergast had
been three days out of the house they all knew that the Mr. Owen of
Hap House was to be the future master of Castle Richmond.

"An' a sore day it'll be; a sore day, a sore day," said Richard,
seated in an arm-chair by the fire, at the end of the servants' hall,
shaking his head despondingly.

"Faix, an' you may say that," said Corney, the footman. "That Misther
Owen will go tatthering away to the divil, when the old place comes
into his hans. No fear he'll make it fly."

"Sorrow seize the ould lawyer for coming down here at all at all,"
said the cook.

"I never knew no good come of thim dry ould bachelors," said Biddy
the housemaid; "specially the Englishers."

"The two of yez are no better nor simpletons," said Richard,
magisterially. "'Twarn't he that done it. The likes of him couldn't
do the likes o' that."

"And what was it as done it?" said Biddy.

"Ax no questions, and may be you'll be tould no lies," replied
Richard.

"In course we all knows it's along of her ladyship's marriage which
warn't no marriage," said the cook. "May the heavens be her bed when
the Lord takes her! A betther lady nor a kinder-hearted niver stepped
the floor of a kitchen."

"'Deed an that's thrue for you, cook," said Biddy, with the corner of
her apron up to her eyes. "But tell me, Richard, won't poor Mr.
Herbert have nothing?"

"Never you mind about Mr. Herbert," said Richard, who had seen Biddy
grow up from a slip of a girl, and therefore was competent to snub
her at every word.

"Ah, but I do mind," said the girl. "I minds more about him than ere
a one of 'em; and av' that Lady Clara won't have em a cause of
this--"

"Not a step she won't, thin," said Corney. "She'll go back to Mr.
Owen. He was her fust love. You'll see else." And so the matter was
discussed in the servants' hall at the great house.

But perhaps the greatest surprise, the greatest curiosity, and the
greatest consternation, were felt at the parsonage. The rumour
reached Mr. Townsend at one of the Reli