ebt,
so that nothing but a skeleton would remain when the bonds were paid,
had set to work, and by the ingenuity of his brain had resolved to
redeem, as far as the Scarboroughs were concerned, their estate from its
unfortunate position.

It was so that Augustus believed; this was the theory existing in his
mind. That his father should have been so clever, and Mr. Grey so blind,
and even Mr. Hart and Mr. Tyrrwhit so easily hoodwinked, was remarkable.
But so it was,--or might probably be so. He felt no assurance, but there
was ever present to him the feeling of great danger. But the state of
things as arranged by his father might be established by himself. If he
could get these creditors to give up their bonds while his father's
falsehood was still believed, it would be a great thing. He had learned
by degrees how small a proportion of the money claimed had, in fact,
been advanced to Mountjoy, and had resolved to confine himself to paying
that. That might now probably be accepted with gratitude. The increasing
value of the estate might bear that without being crushed. But it should
be done at once, while Mountjoy was still absent and before Mr. Tyrrwhit
at any rate knew that Mountjoy had not been killed. Then had happened
that accidental meeting with Mr. Hart at Monte Carlo. That idiot of a
keeper of his had been unable to keep Mountjoy from the gambling-house.
But Mr. Hart had as yet told nothing. Mr. Hart was playing some game of
his own, in which he would assuredly be foiled. The strong hold which
Augustus had was in the great infirmity of his father and in the
blindness of Mr. Grey, but it would be settled. It ought to have been
well that the thing should be settled already by his father's death.
Augustus did feel strongly that the squire ought to complete his work by
dying. Were the story, as now told by him, true, he ought certainly to
die, so as to make speedy atonement for his wickedness. Were it false,
then he ought to go quickly, so that the lie might be effectual. Every
day that he continued to live would go far to endanger the discovery.
Augustus felt that he must at once have the property in his own hands,
so as to buy the creditors and obtain security.

Mr. Grey, who was not so blind as Augustus thought him, saw a great deal
of this. Augustus suspected him as well as the squire. His mind went
backward and forward on these suspicions. It was more probable that the
squire should have contrived all this with t