you wouldn't deceive or rob me."

"Me deceive! me rob, Mr Frank! No indeed, sir; I hope I've too much
duplicity to do anything of the kind. Why, didn't I come out here just
because I'd such a hampering after you, Mr Frank? No; I trust, indeed,
that you'll never ascertain such hard thoughts of me for a moment."

"Never fear," was his master's reply; "I believe you love me too well,
Juniper, to wrong me."

But there was one who did not think so. Hubert Oliphant had discovered,
with dismay, that Frank's new servant was none other than the reprobate
groom of Greymoor Park. He had called as soon as he heard of it, and
implored his friend to dismiss Graves from his service. But Frank would
not hear of such a thing. He dwelt on his old servant's affection,
self-sacrifice, and devotion to himself; he palliated his faults, and
magnified his virtues; so that poor Hubert had to retire baffled and
heart-sick. There remained but one other effort to be made, and that
was through Jacob Poole, who was informed by Hubert of Juniper's
character. Jacob did not decline the duty, though the service was both
a difficult and delicate one; for there was a decision and simple
earnestness about his character which made him go forward, without
shrinking, to undertake whatever he was persuaded he was rightly called
upon to do.

It was on a lovely summer's evening that Jacob made his way, with a
heavy heart, to his former master's cottage. How he had once loved that
place! and how he loved it still!--only there had fallen a blight on all
that was beautiful, and that was the blight of sin. As he approached
the house, he heard singing from more than one voice. He drew near the
verandah; and there, by a little round table--on which was a bottle and
tumblers, and a box of cigars--sat, or rather lolled, Frank and his man,
smoking, drinking, and playing cards.

"And so it's you, Jacob, my boy!" cried Frank; "it's quite an age since
I've seen you; the boggarts haven't kept you away, I hope?"

"No, mayster, it's not the boggarts; it's my own heart as has kept me
away."

"What, Jacob! you've fallen in love with some fair maiden--is that it?"

"No, Mr Frank; I haven't fallen in love with any young wench, and
there's some of the other sex as I'm still less like to fall in love
with."

"Oh, you mean my friend Juniper here! Well, I'm sorry any one should
fall foul of poor Juniper; he's an old servant of mine, Jacob, and he's
come all th