e back rents, which would have reduced him at
once to penury. He wrote immediately to Mr Harvey, requesting him to
send in his account of legal expenses, that it might be liquidated as
early as possible. In three days it arrived, and a letter with it, in
which Mr Harvey acquainted him that it was in consequence of his having
so handsomely surrendered the property as soon as the claim was
substantiated, together with the knowledge how much the estate had been
improved during the ten years in which it had been in his possession,
which induced the new proprietor to behave in so liberal a manner. This
was very gratifying to Mr Campbell, but the legal expenses proved
enormous, amounting to many thousand pounds.

Mr Campbell read the sum total, and threw the huge heap of papers down
on the table in despair.

"We are still ruined, my dear," said he, mournfully.

"Let us hope _not_," replied Mrs Campbell. "At all events, we now know
the worst of it, and we must look it boldly in the face."

"I have not so much money as will pay this bill by nearly a thousand
pounds, my dearest wife."

"It may be so," replied Mrs Campbell; "but still there is the
furniture, the horses, and carriages; surely, they are worth much more."

"But we have other bills to pay; you forget them."

"No, I do not; I have been collecting them all, and they do not amount
to more than 300 pounds, as near as I can judge; but we have no time to
lose, dearest, and we must show courage."

"What then do you advise, Emily?" said Mr Campbell.

"We must incur no more expense; our present establishment must be
dismissed at once. Send for all the servants to-morrow morning, and
explain what has occurred. This evening I will make it known to the two
girls and Miss Paterson, who must of course be discharged, as we can no
longer afford a governess. We must retain only the cook, housemaid, one
footman, and a groom to look after the horses until they are sold. Send
a letter to Mr Bates, the auctioneer, to give notice of an early sale
of the furniture. You must write to Henry; of course, he can no longer
remain at college. We have plenty of time to consider what shall be our
future plans, which must depend much upon what may prove to be our
future means."

This judicious advice was approved of by Mr Campbell. Miss Paterson
was greatly distressed when the news was communicated to her by Mrs
Campbell. Mary and Emma Percival felt deeply for their kind
bene