his wound was doing well, but did not give any
date for his return. Young John says we may expect him any time. I do
not know what he knows about it more than any one else, however," said
Miss Crewys.

"His letters give no details about himself," said Lady Belstone; "he
makes no fuss about his wounded arm. He is a thorough Crewys, not
given to making a to-do about trifles."

"He could only write a few words with his left hand," said Miss
Crewys; "more could not have been expected of him. Yet poor Mary was
quite put out, as I plainly saw, though she said nothing, because the
boy had not written at greater length."

"I find they've made a good many preparations for his welcome down in
the village," said the canon, "in case he should take us by surprise.
So many of the officers have got passages at the last moment,
unexpectedly. And we shall turn out to receive him _en masse_. Mr.
Crewys has given us _carte blanche_ for fireworks and flags; and they
are to have a fine bean-feast."

"Our cousin John takes a great deal upon himself, and has made
uncommonly free with Peter's money," said Lady Belstone, shaking her
head. "I wish he may not find himself pretty nigh ruined when he comes
to look into his own affairs. In my opinion, Fred Crawley is little
better than a fool."

"He is most devoted to Peter's interests, my dear lady," said the
canon, warmly, "and he informed me that Mr. John Crewys had done
wonders in the past two years."

"He has turned the whole place topsy-turvy in two years, in my
opinion," said Miss Crewys. "I don't deny that he is a rising young
man, and that his manners are very taking. But what can a Cockney
lawyer know, about timber, pray?"

"No man on earth, lawyer or no lawyer," said Lady Belstone,
emphatically, "will ever convince me that one can be better than
_well_."

"My sister alludes to the drains. It is a sore point, canon," said
Miss Crewys. "In my opinion, it is all this modern drainage that sets
up typhoid fever, and nothing else."

"Bless me!" said the canon.

"Our poor Mary has grown so dependent on John, however, that she will
hear nothing against him. One has to mind one's p's and q's," said
Lady Belstone.

"He planned the alterations in this very hall," said Miss Crewys, "and
the only excuse he offered, so far as I could understand, was that it
would amuse poor Mary to carry them out."

"Does a widow wish to be amused?" said Lady Belstone, indignantly.

"And was she amus