e would say he would rather leave Haredale Park and beg
his bread before he would do anything to be ashamed of. We have both
heard people talk like that before now, but when it comes to the point
Sir George will sing another tune. They all do."

"Provided the lady does not change her mind," Foster said with a grin,
which caused Fielden, listening at the door, to clench his fists. "You
mustn't lose sight of that fact, Copley. Miss Haredale dislikes and
despises you. But though she vows that nothing in the world will induce
her to marry you, circumstances alter cases, and when she knows she is
no longer mistress of Haredale Park, it is possible her frowns may turn
into smiles."

Copley laughed unpleasantly.

"I haven't lost sight of these things," he said. "Miss Haredale has the
bad taste to dislike me exceedingly. I would give anything if I could
induce her to change her mind. I believe I might even grow honest and
lead a respectable life. Still, that would be beastly monotonous. Your
plan is the best. I had better accept my dismissal and leave Miss
Haredale to go her own way. Then I can put the screw on Sir George and
compel him to find some excuse for scratching his colt. When he sees
that I mean to have my money and discovers the sheriff in possession, he
will not be long in inventing a reason why the Blenheim colt should not
run that shall be consistent with his confounded dignity. You can leave
that safely to me, Foster. My word, how cold it is! I wish you would
shut that door. The draught is cutting my legs off. I daresay----"

What Copley was about to say was lost to the listeners in the hall by
the closing of the door. They could hear nothing save a murmur of voices
which conveyed nothing to their ears. Phillips touched his companion's
shoulder.

"Here's our chance," he whispered. "The sooner we are off the better. We
cannot learn anything more this evening; indeed, there cannot be much
more to learn."

They stole cautiously along the hall, through the kitchen and outhouses,
and were soon outside safe under cover of the darkness. It was black
enough now that the moon had gone down, and they could move freely into
the road and across the heath to the village.

"Well, what do you think of these precious rascals?" Phillips asked.
"Don't you agree that we are deep in the secrets of a vile conspiracy?
We can't leave it where it is."

"Most certainly not," Fielden said. "At present I am thinking more about
Si