long
chat with him, partly upon business, partly from curiosity. I wanted to
buy from him an odd angle of ground, about half an acre, that made an
awkward bite into a favorite field. I went to him, and, knowing his
habits, I offered him at once the full value of the land. He saw that my
heart was set upon the purchase, and he trebled the price. I laughed at
him; and we held a long palaver of about two hours, and never came one
inch nearer to the settlement of the question. At length I pulled out my
purse, and counted the gold down upon the table before him. 'There is
the money,' I said. 'I have offered you, Mr. Hurdlestone, the full value
of the land. You can take it or leave it.'

"The sight of the gold acted upon him like the loadstone upon the
needle. He began counting over the pieces; his fingers literally stuck
to them. One by one they disappeared from my sight, and when all were
gone, he held out his hand and begged for one guinea more. I put the pen
into his hand, and the paper before him; he sighed heavily as he signed
the receipt for the full sum, and told me that I was a prudent young
man; that I deserved to be rich; and must succeed in the world, for I
knew as well how to take care of my money as he did. He then entered
upon subjects of more general interest, and I was so much pleased with
his talents and general information (chiefly obtained, I believe, from
books, which are his sole amusement, and with which he is amply
furnished from the library at the Hall,) that I invited myself to come
over and spend an evening with him. The old fox took the alarm at this.
He told me that he was quite a recluse, and never received company; but
that some evening, when I was quite alone, he would step in and take a
cup of coffee with me--a luxury which he has never allowed himself for
the last twenty years."

The conversation was interrupted by the entrance of Mr. Grant. Young
Wildegrave entered immediately upon the purport of his visit, and the
rector, who had a very large family to support upon very limited means,
readily consented to Anthony's removal to Ashton.

The morning was spent in preparing for his journey, and not without a
feeling of regret Anthony bade adieu to his kind host, and the place in
which he had passed the only happy years of his life.

As his friend slowly drove through Norgood Park, and past Hazelwood
Lodge, he turned an anxious gaze towards the house. Why did the color
flush his cheek as he h