Jemima concerning his doings during his absence. Nor did he feel the
presence of his young secretary to be, in any degree, a restraint. Already
she was as one of the family, and was almost as much in the confidence of
"the Golden Shoemaker" as was Miss Jemima herself. "Cobbler" Horn told of
the dilapidated condition in which he had found the village, and of the
instructions he had given to the agent. At the recital of the latter, Miss
Jemima held up her hands in dismay, while the eyes of the secretary
glistened with unconcealed delight. But the climax was reached when
"Cobbler" Horn spoke of his intentions with regard to the old Hall. Miss
Jemima uttered a positive shriek, and shook her head till her straight,
stiff side-curls quivered again.

"Thomas," she cried, "you must be mad! It will cost you thousands of
pounds!"

"Yes, Jemima," was the quiet reply; "and surely they could not be better
spent! And then there'll still be a few thousands left," he added with a
smile. "It's a way of spending the Lord's money of which I'm sure He will
approve. What do you say, Miss Owen?"

"I think it's just splendid of you, Mr. Horn!"

To do Miss Jemima justice, her annoyance arose quite as much from the
annihilation of her dearly cherished hopes of becoming the mistress of an
ideal country mansion, and filling the place of lady magnificent of her
brother's village, as from the thought of the gigantic extravagance which
his designs with regard to the old Hall would involve.

But the poor lady was to be yet further astonished.

"Oh, I forgot to tell you, Jemima," said her brother, after a brief pause,
and speaking with a whimsical air of apology, "that I am to start for
America to-morrow."

He spoke as though he were announcing a trip into the next county; and
Miss Jemima could scarcely have shown greater amazement, if he had
declared his intention of starting for the moon.

The good lady almost bounced from her seat.

"Thomas!"

She had not breath for more than that.

In truth the announcement "the Golden Shoemaker" had made was startling
enough. Even Miss Owen looked up in intense surprise; and the servant
girl, who was in the act of taking away the meat, was so startled that
she almost let it fall into her master's lap.

"Cobbler" Horn alone was unmoved.

"You see," he said calmly, "when I considered the sad plight of our poor
cousin, I thought it would be best for me to go and see to him myself.
There are the lett