's advice,
nevertheless revealed more of his private affairs to his valet than to
his lawyers. And Trimmer, who consulted nobody, and was by nature
secretive, jealously guarded his master's interests, and insisted on
being consulted in all private matters. A miser himself, Trimmer approved
and fostered the miserly instincts of his master, until there had grown
up between them an intimacy that was almost a partnership.

And, now that Herresford was broken in health, and had become a pitiful
wreck, he preferred to be left entirely at Trimmer's mercy.

"What are you going to do about an heir now?" asked the valet, curtly.
"Have you made a new will?"

"No, I've not. Why should I? I left everything to the boy--with a
reasonable amount for his mother. In the event of his death, his mother
inherits. You wouldn't have me leave my money to charities--or rascally
servants like you, who are rolling in money? You needn't be anxious. I
told you that you would have your fifty thousand dollars, if you were in
my service at my death and behaved yourself--and if I died by natural
means! Ha, ha! I had to put in that clause, or you would have smothered
me with my own pillows long ago."

"Very likely--very likely," murmured Trimmer indifferently, as though the
suggestion were by no means strained. He had heard it many hundreds of
times before. It was a favorite taunt.

"Who is that coming up the drive?" asked the invalid, craning his neck
to look out of the window.

"It is Mrs. Swinton, sir, and Mr. Swinton."

"On foot?" cried the old man. "And since when, pray, did they begin to
take the walking exercise? Ha! ha! Coming to see me--about their boy. Of
course, you've heard all about it, Trimmer."

"Very little, sir."

"Well, if you stay here, you'll hear a little more."

The decrepit creature chuckled with a sound like loose bones rattling in
his throat. He laughed so much that he almost choked. Trimmer was obliged
to lift him up and pat his back vigorously. The valet's handling was
firm, but by no means gentle; and, the moment the old man was touched, he
began to whine as if for mercy, pretending that he was being ill-used.

Mrs. Swinton entered the room alone; the rector remained below in the
library. She found her father well propped up with pillows, and his
skull-cap, with the long white tassel, was drawn down over one eye,
giving him a curious leer. The rakish angle of the cap, with the piercing
eyes beneath, the hawk-like