and
mournful interest, which she could not understand.

"God bless you, Miss Cameron," he said, and his lip quivered.

Days passed, and they saw no more of Maltravers. He excused himself
on pretence, now of business, now of other engagements, from all the
invitations of the rector. Mr. Merton unsuspectingly accepted the
excuse; for he knew that Maltravers was necessarily much occupied.

His arrival had now spread throughout the country; and such of his
equals as were still in B-----shire hastened to offer congratulations,
and press hospitality. Perhaps it was the desire to make his excuses to
Merton valid which prompted the master of Burleigh to yield to the
other invitations that crowded on him. But this was not all,--Maltravers
acquired in the neighbourhood the reputation of a man of business. Mr.
Justis was abruptly dismissed; with the help of the bailiff Maltravers
became his own steward. His parting address to this personage was
characteristic of the mingled harshness and justice of Maltravers.

"Sir," said he, as they closed their accounts, "I discharge you
because you are a rascal,--there can be no dispute about that; you have
plundered your owner, yet you have ground his tenants, and neglected
the poor. My villages are filled with paupers, my rent-roll is reduced
a fourth; and yet, while some of my tenants appear to pay nominal rents
(why, you best know),--others are screwed up higher than any man's in
the country. You are a rogue, Mr. Justis,--your own account-books show
it; and if I send them to a lawyer, you would have to refund a sum
that I could apply very advantageously to the rectification of your
blunders."

"I hope, sir," said the steward, conscience-stricken and appalled,--"I
hope you will not ruin me; indeed, indeed, if I was called upon to
refund, I should go to jail."

"Make yourself easy, sir. It is just that I should suffer as well as
you. My neglect of my own duties tempted you to roguery. You were honest
under the vigilant eye of Mr. Cleveland. Retire with your gains: if you
are quite hardened, no punishment can touch you; if you are not, it
is punishment enough to stand there gray-headed, with one foot in the
grave, and hear yourself called a rogue, and know that you cannot defend
yourself,--go!"

Maltravers next occupied himself in all the affairs that a mismanaged
estate brought upon him. He got rid of some tenants, he made new
arrangements with others; he called labour into requisit