s disinherited, no matter how unjustly, these
same folks discovered that Richard Tresidder was a very mine of wit and
goodness, while my father was made a butt for fools' jokes.

And so I discovered that my being a Pennington counted but for little,
while it seemed to be forgotten that but for the wiles of a clever,
selfish woman, I should be the Squire of the parish.

When I was old enough I was sent to Tregony grammar school, my father
being determined to give me a schooling befitting the position he hoped,
in spite of his misfortunes, I should some day occupy. Now Nick
Tresidder had been attending this same school for some months when I
went. For this I was very glad, because I thought it would give me an
opportunity for testing him. I had not been in the school a week,
however, when my father came to fetch me away. The reason was that
Richard Tresidder had demanded it, as he would not allow his son to be
educated at the school where the son of a tenant-farmer was admitted. He
told the schoolmaster that he had two other sons whom he intended to
send, but that he should immediately withdraw his patronage if I were
not sent away.

All this angered me as well as my father, but there was no help for it,
and I was sent to Probus instead, where the education was as good, but
where I had no chance of meeting the Tresidders.

I have said that Elmwater Barton was a good farm, but I must confess to
looking longingly at Pennington. This was in the nature of things very
reasonable on my part, for I always looked upon it as my home. But
besides this, I doubt if the whole country can present a stretch of land
so fair, or a house so pleasantly situated. There may be bigger and more
imposing houses, but there are none more comfortable. Besides,
Pennington faces a beautiful glen that is about half a mile wide. I know
of no grass as green as that which grows there, or of trees so fine and
stately. Besides, the river which winds its way downward, and which
sometimes runs side by side with the drive leading from the house to the
main road, is the most beauteous stream of water I ever saw. Then
sloping away from this glen are wooded hills, the sight of which in the
early summer time is enough to make a man sing for joy; and in addition
to all this, while standing at the main entrance of the house you can
see the blue sea, say a mile and a half away. I, who have seen something
of the world, say there is nothing finer in the way of gree