f his own estates, sought out trustworthy stewards and
bailiffs, renounced riotous pastimes, spoke sensibly and intelligibly at
the Diet; nobody could imagine what had come to him all at once.

He had one favourite, Mike Kis, who was to be seen with him in every
public place. Very often they encountered Abellino, and on all such
occasions the Nabob and the Whitsun King would look at each other and
smile and whisper as if they were planning some design against Abellino,
as if they held in their hands some humorous trump card which would turn
the tables gloriously upon the waggish coffin-sender. For all the young
_roues_ were still greatly amused at Abellino's masterpiece. The old
bucks, on the other hand, had rather more difficulty in grasping the
humour of it.

* * * * *

Meanwhile Master Boltay was residing on a little estate he had somewhere
among the hills, whither in his first alarm he had conveyed Fanny, and
she had hidden away there along with her aunt. Within a week, however,
Abellino, who had by no means abandoned the chase, had discovered where
they had stowed away the girl, and a few days later Teresa caught one of
the servants in the act of popping a suspicious looking letter into
Fanny's reading book. Master Boltay discharged that servant on the spot.
Nevertheless, there were fresh rumours and alarms every day. Fashionable
gentlemen came a-hunting in the neighbourhood of the village near their
dwelling, and hit upon a thousand artifices for obtaining admittance.
Sometimes disguised lackeys presented themselves in the garb of simple
gardeners, but, fortunately, Teresa always recognized their crafty
countenances, and let them cool their heels on the doorstep. At other
times old gipsy women sneaked into the courtyard whenever they had the
chance, and by way of diverting the innocent damsel, showed her in the
cards that a terribly great gentleman was in love with her, and would
have her, too.

Master Boltay, hearing these things from day to day, became as furious
as a bull when the dog-star is in the ascendant. He fumed and fussed and
swore he would do dreadful things to any one he might catch on the
premises. But, alas! he could catch nobody! The enemy was an airy,
agile, artful, experienced creature who was never at the end of his
inventions, and had nothing else to think of but how to make a fool of
him; while he, with his dull henchman Alexander, was but a stupid, heavy
ani