dered, a cheerful glow in her veins. Here,
really, was an opportunity of stemming the current of her income without
shocking any of her social instincts!

CHAPTER VIII

MR. BURKE BEGINS TO MAKE THINGS MOVE IN PLAINTON

It was not long before Mr. Burke began to be a very important personage
in Plainton. It was generally known that he intended to buy land and
settle in the neighborhood, and as he was a rich man, evidently
inclined to be liberal in his expenditures, this was a matter of great
interest both in social and business circles.

He often drove out to survey the surrounding country, but when he was
perceived several times standing in front of an old house at the corner
of the street near Mrs. Cliff's residence, it was supposed that he might
have changed his mind in regard to a country place, and was thinking of
building in the town.

He was not long considered a stranger in the place. Mrs. Cliff
frequently spoke of him as a valued friend, and there was reason to
believe that in the various adventures and dangers of which they had
heard, Mr. Burke had been of great service to their old friend and
neighbor, and it was not unlikely that his influence had had a good deal
to do with her receipt of a portion of the treasure discovered by the
commander of the expedition.

Several persons had said more than once that they could not see why Mrs.
Cliff should have had any claim upon this treasure, except, perhaps, to
the extent of her losses. But if she had had a friend in camp,--and Mr.
Burke was certainly a friend,--it was easy to understand why he would do
the best he could, at a time when money was so plenty, for the benefit
of one whom he knew to be a widow in straitened circumstances.

So Mr. Burke was looked upon not only as a man of wealth and superior
tastes in regard to food and personal comfort, but as a man of a liberal
and generous disposition. Furthermore, there was no pride about him.
Often on his return from his drives, his barouche and pair, which Mr.
Williams had obtained in Harrington for his guest's express benefit,
would stop in front of Mrs. Cliff's modest residence; and two or three
times he had taken that good lady and Willy Croup to drive with him.

But Mrs. Cliff did not care very much for the barouche. She would have
preferred a little phaeton and a horse which she could drive herself. As
for her horse and the two-seated wagon, that was declared by most of the
ladies of the town t