John Griffith, from Coed, had promised to call upon him; but when
three weeks had passed by, he had not as yet made his appearance.
Now, on one morning he came and found his landlord alone in the
book-room. "This is kind of you, Mr Griffith," said Cousin Henry,
struggling hard to assume the manner of a man with a light heart.

"I have come, Mr Jones," said the farmer very seriously, "to say a
few words which I think ought to be said."

"What are they, Mr Griffith?"

"Now, Mr Jones, I am not a man as is given to
interfering,--especially not with my betters."

"I am sure you are not."

"And, above all, not with my own landlord." Then he paused; but as
Cousin Henry could not find an appropriate word either for rebuke or
encouragement, he was driven to go on with his story. "I have been
obliged to look at all those things in the _Carmarthen Herald_." Then
Cousin Henry turned deadly pale. "We have all been driven to look
at them. I have taken the paper these twenty years, but it is sent
now to every tenant on the estate, whether they pay or whether they
don't. Mrs Griffith, there, in the kitchen has it. I suppose they
sent it to you, sir?"

"Yes; it does come," said Cousin Henry, with the faintest attempt at
a smile.

"And you have read what they say?"

"Yes, the most of it."

"It has been very hard, sir." At this Cousin Henry could only affect
a ghastly smile. "Very hard," continued the farmer. "It has made my
flesh creep as I read it. Do you know what it all means, Mr Jones?"

"I suppose I know."

"It means--that you have stolen--the estates--from your cousin--Miss
Brodrick!" This the man said very solemnly, bringing out each single
word by itself. "I am not saying so, Mr Jones."

"No, no, no," gasped the miserable wretch.

"No, indeed. If I thought so, I should not be here to tell you what
I thought. It is because I believe that you are injured that I am
here."

"I am injured; I am injured!"

"I think so. I believe so. I cannot tell what the mystery is, if
mystery there be; but I do not believe that you have robbed that
young lady, your own cousin, by destroying such a deed as your
uncle's will."

"No, no, no."

"Is there any secret that you can tell?"

Awed, appalled, stricken with utter dismay, Cousin Henry sat silent
before his questioner.

"If there be, sir, had you not better confide it to some one?
Your uncle knew me well for more than forty years, and trusted me
thoroughly, and I woul