y.

"I don't know that it is any business of yours, Mr. Thorndyke, what I do
with myself."

"Oh, yes, it is," the Squire replied. "This village and the people in it
are mine. You are disturbing the village with your blackguard conduct;
you are annoying some of the girls on the estate, and altogether you are
making yourself a nuisance. I stopped at the alehouse as I came here,
and have ordered the landlord to draw no more liquor for you, and unless
you amend your conduct, and that quickly, I will have you out of the
village altogether."

"I fancy, Mr. Thorndyke, that, even as a justice of the peace, you have
not the power to dictate to my father who shall be the occupant of this
house."

"What you say is perfectly true; but as you make your father's life a
burden to him, and he is desirous of your absence, I can and will
order the village constable to remove you from his house by force, if
necessary."

The young fellow cast an evil glance at his father. "He has not been
complaining, has he?" he said, with a sneer.

"He has not, sir," John Thorndyke said indignantly. "It is I who have
been complaining to him, and he admits that you are altogether beyond
his authority. I have pointed out to him that he is in no way obliged
to support you at your age in idleness and dissipation, and that it were
best for him and all concerned that he should close his doors to you. I
don't want to have to send the son of my old friend to prison, but I can
see well enough that that is what it will come to if you don't give up
your evil courses. I should think you know by this time that I am a man
of my word. I have taken some pains to purge this village of all bad
characters, and I do not intend to have an exception made of the son of
the clergyman, who, in his family as well as in his own person, is bound
to set an example."

"Well, Mr. Thorndyke, I utterly decline to obey your orders or to be
guided by your advice."

"Very well, sir," the magistrate said sternly. "Mr. Bastow, do I
understand that you desire that your son shall no longer remain an
inmate of your house?"

"I do," the clergyman said firmly; "and if he does so I have no other
course before me but to resign my living; my position here has become
absolutely unbearable."

"Very well, sir, then you will please lock your doors tonight, and if he
attempts to enter, I, as a magistrate, should know how to deal with
him. Now, young sir, you understand your position; you ma