anced at a very
elegant memorandum-book.--"The manors of Rood and Dulmansberry, with
sundry farms thereon. Mr. Thornhill wants to sell them--an old client of
mine, Thornhill. He has applied to me on the matter. Do you think it an
improvable property?"

Randal listened with a livid cheek and a throbbing heart. We have seen
that, if there was one ambitious scheme in his calculation which, though
not absolutely generous and heroic, still might win its way to a certain
sympathy in the undebased human mind, it was the hope to restore the
fallen fortunes of his ancient house, and repossess himself of the long
alienated lands that surrounded the dismal wastes of the mouldering
hall. And now to hear that those lands were getting into the inexorable
gripe of Levy--tears of bitterness stood in his eyes.

"Thornhill," continued Levy, who watched the young man's
countenance,--"Thornhill tells me that that part of his property--the
old Leslie lands--produces L2, 000 a year, and that the rental could
be raised. He would take L50,000 for it, L20,000 down, and suffer the
remaining L30,000 to lie on mortgage at four per cent. It seems a very
good purchase. What do you say?"

"Don't ask me," said Randal, stung into rare honesty; "for I had hoped I
might live to repossess myself of that property."

"Ah, indeed! It would be a very great addition to your consequence
in the world,--not from the mere size of the estate, but from its
hereditary associations. And if you have any idea of the purchase,
believe me, I'll not stand in your way."

"How can I have any idea of it?"

"But I thought you said you had."

"I understood that these lands could not be sold till Mr. Thornhill's
son came of age, and joined in getting rid of the entail."

"Yes, so Thornhill himself supposed, till, on examining the title-deeds,
I found he was under a mistake. These lands are not comprised in the
settlement made by old Jasper Thornhill, which ties up the rest of
the property. The title will be perfect. Thornhill wants to settle
the matter at once,--losses on the turf, you understand; an immediate
purchaser would get still better terms. A Sir John Spratt would give the
money; but the addition of these lands would make the Spratt property
of more consequence in the county than the Thornhill. So my client would
rather take a few thousands less from a man who don't set up to be his
rival. Balance of power in counties as well as nations."

Randal was silent.