itnessed; but people don't like to put their names
to documents unless they know what they're about, and of course I
couldn't tell anybody the contents of that.

I felt satisfied as a man should who feels he has done his duty; and
perhaps that's what made the time glide away so fast without anything
particular happening. Sir John bought the six old houses like ours
opposite, and gave twice as much for them as they were worth, because
some one was going to build an Institution there, which might very
likely prove to be a nuisance.

I don't remember anything else in particular, only that the houses would
not let well, because Sir John grew close and refused to spend money in
doing them up. But there was the trouble with Edward Gunning, the
footman, a clever, good-looking young fellow, who had been apprenticed
to a bricklayer and contractor, but took to service instead, he did no
good in that; for, in spite of all I could say, he would take more than
was good for him, and then Sir John found him out.

So Edward Gunning had to go; and I breathed more freely, and felt less
nervous.

STORY TWO, CHAPTER THREE.

MR BARCLAY THINKS FOR HIMSELF.

So another ten years had slipped away; and the house opposite, which had
been empty for two years, was getting in very bad condition--I mean as
to paper and paint.

"Nobody will take it as it is, Sir John," the agent said to him in my
presence.

"Then it can be left alone," he says, very gruffly. "Good-morning."

"Well, Mr Burdon," said the agent, as I gave him a glass of wine in my
pantry, "it's a good thing he's so well off; but it's poison to my mind
to see houses lying empty." Which no doubt it was, seeing he had five
per cent on the rents of all he let.

Then Mr Barclay spoke to his father, and he had to go out with a flea
in his ear; and when, two days later, Miss Virginia said something about
the house opposite looking so miserable, and that it was a pity there
were no bills up to say it was to let, Sir John flew out at her, and
that was the only time I ever heard him speak to her cross.

But he was so sorry for it, that he sent me to the bank with a cheque
directly after, and I was to bring back a new fifty-pound note; and I
know that was in the letter I had to give Miss Virginia, and orders to
have the carriage round, so that she might go shopping.

Now, I'm afraid you'll say that Mr Barclay Drinkwater was right in
calling me Polonius, and saying I was as p