r
wants a tongue to carry it.

It seemed that on the earl's death it was discovered, what had already
been long suspected, that his liabilities, like his extravagances, were
enormous. That he was obliged to live abroad to escape in some degree
the clamorous haunting of the hundreds he had ruined: poor
tradespeople, who knew that their only chance of payment was during the
old man's life-time, for his whole property was entailed on the son.

Whether Lord Ravenel had ever been acquainted with the state of things,
or whether, being in ignorance of it, his own style of living had in
degree imitated his father's, rumour did not say, nor indeed was it of
much consequence. The facts subsequently becoming known immediately
after Lord Luxmore's death, made all former conjectures unnecessary.

Not a week before he died, the late earl and his son--chiefly it was
believed on the latter's instigation--had cut off the entail, thereby
making the whole property saleable, and available for the payment of
creditors. Thus by his own act, and--as some one had told somebody
that somebody else had heard Lord Ravenel say: "for the honour of the
family," the present earl had succeeded to an empty title, and--beggary.

"Or," Lady Oldtower added, "what to a man of rank will be the same as
beggary--a paltry two hundred a year or so--which he has reserved, they
say, just to keep him from destitution. Ah--here comes Mr. Jessop; I
thought he would. He can tell us all about it."

Old Mr. Jessop was as much excited as any one present.

"Ay--it's all true--only too true, Mr. Halifax. He was at my house
last night."

"Last night!" I do not think anybody caught the child's exclamation
but me; I could not help watching little Maud, noticing what strong
emotion, still perfectly child-like and unguarded in its demonstration,
was shaking her innocent bosom, and overflowing at her eyes. However,
as she sat still in the corner, nobody observed her.

"Yes, he slept at my house--Lord Ravenel, the Earl of Luxmore, I mean.
Much good will his title do him! My head clerk is better off than he.
He has stripped himself of every penny, except--bless me, I forgot; Mr.
Halifax, he gave me a letter for you."

John walked to the window to read it; but having read it, passed it
openly round the circle; as indeed was best.

"MY DEAR FRIEND,
"You will have heard that my father is no more."

("He used always to say 'the earl,'" whispered Maud,