o conclude any bargain for land without her
co-operation. Unless her award had decided, the peasant could not
bring himself to believe that his claim had met a just or equitable
consideration; but whatever Miss Bella decreed was final and
irrevocable. From an early hour each morning the suitors to her court
began to arrive. Under a large damson-tree was placed a table, at which
she sat, busily writing away, and listening all the while to their
long-drawn-out narratives. It was her rule never to engage in any
purchase when she had not herself made a visit to the spot in question,
ascertained in person all its advantages and disadvantages, and
speculated how far its future value should influence its present price.
In this way she had travelled far and near over the surrounding country,
visiting localities the wildest and least known, and venturing into
districts where a timid traveller had not dared to set foot. It required
all her especial acuteness, often-times, to find out--from garbled and
incoherent descriptions--the strange and out-of-the-way places no
map had ever indicated. In fact, the wild and untravelled country was
pathless as a sea, and nothing short of her ready-witted tact had been
able to navigate it.

She was, as usual, busied one morning with her peasant levee when Mr.
Hankes arrived. He brought a number of letters from the post, and
was full of the importance so natural to him who has the earliest
intelligence.

"Great news, Miss Bella," said he, gayly,--"very great news. One of
the French Princes announces his intention to build a villa here. He
requires a small park of some forty or fifty acres, access to the
sea, and a good anchorage for his yacht. This note here will give all
particulars. Here is an application from Sir Craven Tollemache; he wants
us to build him a house on any picturesque site near the shore, and
contracts to take it on lease. Here is a demand for one hundred shares,
fifty to be exchanged for shares in the Boquantilla Cobalt and Zinc
Mines, now at a premium. Kelsal and Waterline wish to know what
facilities we would afford them to establish yacht-building in Crooke's
Harbor. If liberally dealt with, they propose to expend fifty thousand
on permanent improvements. Lord Drellington is anxious for a house in
Lackington Crescent. I believe he is too late. There are also seven
applications for 'Arden House,' which, I fancy, has been promised to Sir
Peter Parkeswith. Founde's Cliff, to