ive, absurdly foolish, but not, to his father, a
shame. He ridiculed gambling as a source of excitement. No man could win
much without dishonest practices, and fraud at cards would certainly be
detected. But he did not on that account hate cards. There was no reason
why Mountjoy should not become to him as pleasant a companion as ever
for the few days that might be left to him, if only he would come. But,
when asked, he refused to come. When the squire received the letter
above given he was not in the least angry with his son, but simply
determined, if possible, that he should be brought to Tretton.
Mountjoy's debts would now be paid, and something, if possible, should
be done for him. He was so angry with Augustus that he would, if
possible, revoke his last decision;--but that, alas! would be impossible.

Sir William Brodrick had, when he last saw him, expressed some hope,--not
of his recovery, which was by all admitted to be impossible,--but of his
continuance in the land of the living for another three months, or
perhaps six, as Sir William had finally suggested, opening out, as he
himself seemed to think, indefinite hope. "The most wonderful
constitution, Mr. Scarborough, I ever saw in my life. I've never known a
dog even so cut about, and yet bear it." Mr. Scarborough bowed and
smiled, and accepted the compliment. He would have taken the hat off his
head, had it been his practice to wear a hat in his sitting-room. Mr.
Merton had gone farther. Of course he did not mean, he said, to set up
his opinion against Sir William's; but if Mr. Scarborough would live
strictly by rule, Mr. Merton did not see why either three months or six
should be the end of it. Mr. Scarborough had replied that he could not
undertake to live precisely by rule, and Mr. Merton had shaken his head.
But from that time forth Mr. Scarborough did endeavor to obey the
injunctions given to him. He had something worth doing in the six months
now offered to him.

He had heard lately very much of the story of Harry Annesley, and had
expressed great anger at the ill-usage to which that young man had been
subjected. It had come to his ears that it was intended that Harry
should lose the property he had expected, and that he had already lost
his immediate income. This had come to him through Mr. Merton, between
whom and Augustus Scarborough there was no close friendship. And the
squire understood that Florence Mountjoy had been the cause of Harry's
misfortu