will it make to Clary?" asked Sir Thomas.

"I have sometimes thought that he cared for her," said Patience
cunningly. "He would hardly have been so often at the villa, unless
there had been something."

"There must be nothing of that kind," said Sir Thomas. "He is a
spendthrift, and quite unworthy of her. I will not have him at the
villa. He must be told so. If you see anything of that kind, you
must inform me. Do you understand, Patience?" Patience understood
well enough, but knew not what reply to make. She could not tell her
sister's secret. And if there were faults in the matter, was it not
her father's fault? Why had he not lived with them, so that he might
see these things with his own eyes? "There must be nothing of that
kind," said Sir Thomas, with a look of anger in his eyes.

When the week was over, the innkeeper and the doctors submitting
with but a bad grace, the member for Percycross returned to London
with his arm bound up in a sling. The town was by this time quite
tranquil. The hustings had been taken down, and the artizans of the
borough were back at their labours, almost forgetting Moggs and his
great doctrines. That there was to be a petition was a matter of
course. It was at least a matter of course that there should be
threats of a petition. The threat of course reached Sir Thomas's
ears, but nothing further was said to him. When he and his daughter
went down to the station in the Standard fly, it almost seemed that
he was no more to the borough than any other man might be with a
broken arm. "I shall not speak of this to Mary," he said on his
journey home. "Nor should you, I think, my dear."

"Of course not, papa."

"He should have the opportunity of changing his mind after receiving
my letter, if he so pleases. For her sake I hope he will not."
Patience said nothing further. She loved her cousin Mary, and
certainly had felt no dislike for this fortunate young man. But she
could not so quickly bring herself to sympathise with interests which
seemed to be opposed to those of her sister.

CHAPTER XXXI.

IT IS ALL SETTLED.

In the last half of this month of October the Squire at Newton was
very pressing on his lawyers up in London to settle the affairs of
the property. He was most anxious to make a new will, but could not
do so till his nephew had completed the sale, and till the money had
been paid. He had expressed a desire to go up to London and remain
there till all was done; but