“I have not seen him since he heard the news which must have astonished him more than any one else.”

“I wonder,” said Augustus, “how Florence Mountjoy has borne it?”

“Neither have I seen her.  I have been at Cheltenham, but was not allowed to see her.”  This he said with an assertion to himself that though he had lied as to one particular he would not lie as to any other.

“I suppose she must have been much cut up by it all.  I have half a mind to declare to myself that she shall still have an opportunity of becoming the mistress of Tretton.  She was always afraid of Mountjoy, but I do not know that she ever loved him.  She had become so used to the idea of marrying him that she would have given herself up in mere obedience.  I too think that she might do as a wife, and I shall certainly make a better husband than Mountjoy would have done.”

“Miss Mountjoy will certainly do as a wife for any one who may be lucky enough to get her,” said Harry, with a certain tone of magnificence which at the moment he felt to be overstrained and ridiculous.

“Oh yes; one has got to get her, as you call it, of course.  You mean to say that you are supposed to be in the running.  That is your own lookout.  I can only allege, on my own behalf, that it has always been considered to be an old family arrangement that Florence Mountjoy shall marry the heir to Tretton Park.  I am in that position now, and I only throw it out as a hint that I may feel disposed to follow out the family arrangement.  Of course if other things come in the way there will be an end of it.  Come in.”  This last invitation was given in consequence of a knock at the door.  The door was opened, and there entered a policeman in plain clothes named Prodgers, who seemed from his manner to be well acquainted with Augustus Scarborough.

The police for some time past had been very busy on the track of Mountjoy Scarborough, but had not hitherto succeeded in obtaining any information.  Such activity as had been displayed cannot be procured without expense, and it had been understood in this case that old Mr. Scarborough had refused to furnish the means.  Something he had supplied at first, but had latterly declined even to subscribe to a fund.  He was not at all desirous, he said, that his son should be brought back to the world, particularly as he had made it evident by his disappearance that he was anxious to keep out of the way.  “Why should I pay the fellows?  It’s no business of mine,” he had said to his son.  And from that moment he had declined to do more than make up the first subscription which had been suggested to him.  But the police had been kept very busy, and it was known that the funds had been supplied chiefly by Mr. Tyrrwhit.  He was a resolute and persistent man, and was determined to “run down” Mountjoy Scarborough, as he called it, if money would enable him to do so.  It was he who had appealed to the squire for assistance in this object, and to him the squire had expressed his opinion that, as his son did not seem anxious to be brought back, he should not interfere in the matter.