st manner he might be able. He
acknowledged to himself that he had been behaving badly to Amelia,
confessing, indeed, more sin in that respect than he had in truth
committed; but this, at any rate, was clear to him, that he must put
himself on a proper footing in that quarter before he could venture
to speak to Lily Dale.

As he came to a definite conclusion on this subject the little
handbell which always stood on Sir Raffle's table was sounded, and
Eames was called into the presence of the great man. "Ah," said Sir
Raffle, leaning back in his arm-chair, and stretching himself after
the great exertions which he had been making--"Ah, let me see! You
are going out of town the day after to-morrow."

"Yes, Sir Raffle, the day after to-morrow."

"Ah! it's a great annoyance,--a very great annoyance. But on such
occasions I never think of myself. I never have done so, and don't
suppose I ever shall. So you're going down to my old friend De
Guest?"

Eames was always angered when his new patron Sir Raffle talked of his
old friendship with the earl, and never gave the Commissioner any
encouragement. "I am going down to Guestwick," said he.

"Ah! yes; to Guestwick Manor? I don't remember that I was ever there.
I dare say I may have been, but one forgets those things."

"I never heard Lord De Guest speak of it."

"Oh, dear, no. Why should his memory be better than mine? Tell him,
will you, how very glad I shall be to renew our old intimacy. I
should think nothing of running down to him for a day or two in the
dull time of the year,--say in September or October. It's rather a
coincidence our both being interested about you,--isn't it?"

"I'll be sure to tell him."

"Mind you do. He's one of our most thoroughly independent noblemen,
and I respect him very highly. Let me see; didn't I ring my bell?
What was it I wanted? I think I rang my bell."

"You did ring your bell."

"Ah, yes; I know. I am going away, and I wanted my--would you tell
Rafferty to bring me--my boots?" Whereupon Johnny rang the bell--not
the little handbell, but the other bell. "And I shan't be here
to-morrow," continued Sir Raffle. "I'll thank you to send my
letters up to the square; and if they should send down from the
Treasury;--but the Chancellor would write, and in that case you'll
send up his letter at once by a special messenger, of course."

"Here's Rafferty," said Eames, determined that he would not even
sully his lips with speaking of Sir