turned out of the house. She, who had presided over
everything material at Manor Cross for more than thirty years, from the
family pictures down to the kitchen utensils, had been absolutely
desired to--walk herself off. The message had been given to her by that
accursed Courier, and she had then insisted on seeing the Marquis. "My
Lord," she said, only laughed at her. "'Mrs. Toff,' he had said, 'you
are my mother's servant, and my sisters'. You had better go and live
with them.'" She had then hinted at the shortness of the notice given
her, upon which he had offered her anything she chose to ask in the way
of wages and board wages. "But I wouldn't take a penny, my Lady; only
just what was due up to the very day." As Mrs. Toff was a great deal
too old a servant to be really turned away, and as she merely migrated
from Manor Cross to Cross Hall, she did not injure herself much by
refusing the offers made to her.

It must be held that the Marquis was justified in getting rid of Mrs.
Toff. Mrs. Toff was, in truth, a spy in his camp, and, of course, his
own people were soon aware of that fact. Her almost daily journeys to
Cross Hall were known, and it was remembered, both by the Marquis and
his wife, that this old woman, who had never been allowed to see the
child, but who had known all the preceding generation as children,
could not but be an enemy. Of course it was patent to all the servants,
and to every one connected with the two houses, that there was war. Of
course, the Marquis, having an old woman acting spy in his stronghold,
got rid of her. But justice would shortly have required that the other
old woman, who was acting spy in the other stronghold, should be turned
out, also. But the Marchioness, who had promised to tell everything to
her son, could not very well be offered wages and be made to go.

In the midst of the ferment occasioned by this last piece of work Lord
George reached Cross Hall. He had driven through the park, that way
being nearly as short as the high road, and had left word at the house
that he would call on the following morning, immediately after morning
church. This he did, in consequence of a resolution which he had
made,--to act on his own judgment. A terrible crisis was coming, in
which it would not be becoming that he should submit himself either to
his eldest sister, or to the Dean. He had talked the matter over fully
with Mrs. Houghton, and Mrs. Houghton had suggested that he should call