as she gave the
asked-for tea.

"A large dish of my own affairs, -- that is to say, my uncle's
and fathers and grandfather's -- which is in precious
confusion."

"I hope, getting on well?" said Rose sweetly.

"Don't know," said Mr. Satterthwaite contentedly. "Don't know
till we get out of the confusion. But I have the satisfaction
of knowing it's getting on as well as it _can_ get on, -- from
the hands it is in."

"Whose hands are they?" Elizabeth asked.

"In Mr. Landholm's. -- He'll set it right, if anybody can. I
know he will. Never saw such a fellow. Mrs. Haye -- thank you --
this bread and butter is all sufficient. Uncommon to have a
friend for one's lawyer, and to know he is both a friend and a
lawyer."

"Rather uncommon," said Elizabeth.

"Is Winthrop Landholm your friend?" said Rose dryly.

"Yes! The best friend I've got. I'd do anything in the world
for that fellow. He deserves it."

"Mr. Satterthwaite," said Elizabeth, "that bread and butter
isn't so good as these biscuits -- try one."

"He don't deserve it from everybody!" said Rose, as Mr.
Satterthwaite gratefully took a biscuit.

"Why not?"

"He don't deserve it from me. I've known him to do unhandsome
things. Mean!"

"Winthrop Landholm! -- My dear Mrs. Haye, you are under some
misapprehension. I'll stake my reputation he never did an
unhandsome or a mean thing. He _couldn't_."

"He did," said Rose.

"Will you favour me with the particulars you have heard?"

"I haven't _heard_," said Rose, -- "I _know_."

"You _have_ heard!" said Elizabeth sternly, -- "and only heard.
You forget. You may not have understood anything right."

The gentleman looked in a little astonishment from the bright-
coloured cheeks of one lady to the cloudy brow of the other;
but as neither added anything further, he took up the matter.

"I am almost certain Miss Elizabeth is right. I am sure Mr.
Landholm would not do what you suspect him of. He _could_ not do
it."

"He is mortal, I suppose," said Rose sourly, "and so he _would_
do what other mortals do."

"He is better than some other mortals," said Mr.
Satterthwaite. "I am not a religious man myself; but if
anything would make me believe in it, it would be that man."

"Don't you 'believe in it,' Mr. Satterthwaite?" asked
Elizabeth.

"In a sort of way, yes, I do; -- I suppose it's a thing one
must come to at last."

"If you want to come to it at last, I should think you would
at first," said Eliz