te care of old Simon had suffered nothing to fall
out of repair, the rooms being kept well aired, the pictures,
tapestries, and magnificent furniture all preserved fresh with linen
covers and the like. From the hall she led us out on to the terrace to
survey the park and the gardens about the house, and here, as within
doors, all was in most admirable keeping, with no wild growth or
runaweeds anywhere, nor any sign of neglect. But I observed, as an
indication of the steward's thrifty, unpoetic mind, that the garden beds
were planted with onions and such marketable produce, in place of
flowers, and that instead of deer grazing upon the green slopes of the
park there was only such profitable cattle as sheep, cows, etc. And at
the sight of all this abundance of good things (and especially the
well-stored buttery), Dawson declared he could live here all his life
and never worry. And with that, all unthinkingly, he lays his arm about
Moll's waist.

Then the Don, who had followed us up and down stairs, speaking never one
word till this, says, "We may count ourselves lucky, Captain Evans, if
we are suffered to stay here another week."

CHAPTER XVI.

_Prosper as well as any thieves may; but Dawson greatly tormented._

The next morning I went to Simon at his lodge house, having writ him a
note overnight to prepare him for my visit, and there I found him, with
all his books and papers ready for my examination. So to it we set,
casting up figures, comparing accounts, and so forth, best part of the
day, and in the end I came away convinced that he was the most
scrupulous, honest steward ever man had. And, truly, it appeared that by
his prudent investments and careful management he had trebled the value
of the estate, and more, in the last ten years. He showed me, also, that
in all his valuations he had set off a large sum for loss by accident of
fire, war, etc., so that actually at the present moment the estate,
which he reckoned at seventy-five thousand pounds, was worth at the
least one hundred and twenty-five thousand. But for better assurance on
this head, I spent the remainder of the week in visiting the farms,
messuages, etc., on his rent roll, and found them all in excellent
condition, and held by good substantial men, nothing in any particular
but what he represented it.

Reporting on these matters privily to Don Sanchez and Dawson, I asked
the Don what we should now be doing.

"Two ways lie before us," say