.
Grey, as Augustus was aware. They breakfasted at ten, and twelve had
been named for the meeting. Mr. Grey had an hour or an hour and a half
for his walk, in which he could again turn over in his mind all these
matters of which his thoughts had been full for now many a day.

Of two or three facts he was certain. Augustus was the legitimate heir
of his father. Of that he had seen ample documentary evidence. The word
of no Scarborough should go for anything with him;--but of that fact he
was assured. Whether the squire knew aught of Mountjoy he did not feel
sure, but that Augustus did he was quite certain. Who was paying the
bills for the scapegrace during his travels he could not say, but he
thought it probable that Augustus was finding the money. He, Mountjoy,
was kept away, so as to be out of the creditors' way.

He thought, therefore, that Augustus was doing this, so that he might
the more easily buy up the debts. But why should Augustus go to the
expense of buying up the debts, seeing that the money must ultimately
come out of his own pocket? Because,--so Mr. Grey thought,--Augustus would
not trust his own father. The creditors, if they could get hold of
Mountjoy when his father was dead, and when the bonds would all become
payable, might possibly so unravel the facts as to make it apparent
that, after all, the property was Mountjoy's. This was not Mr. Grey's
idea, but was Mr. Grey's idea of the calculation which Augustus was
making for his own government. According to Mr. Grey's reading of all
the facts of the case, such were the suspicions which Augustus
entertained in the matter. Otherwise, why should he be anxious to take a
step which would redound only to the advantage of the creditors? He was
quite certain that no money would be paid, at any rate, by Augustus,
solely with the view of honestly settling their claims.

But there was another subject which troubled his mind excessively as he
walked across the park. Why should he soil his hands, or, at any rate,
trouble his conscience, with an affair so unclean, so perplexed, and so
troublesome? Why was he there at Tretton at all, to be insulted by a
young blackguard such as he believed Augustus Scarborough to be?
Augustus Scarborough, he knew, suspected him. But he, in return,
suspected Augustus Scarborough. The creditors suspected him. Mountjoy
suspected him. The squire did not suspect him, but he suspected the
squire. He never could again feel himself to be on