“Capital fellow, Augustus Scarborough,” said Jones, as soon as their host had left them.

“I was at Cambridge with him, and he was popular there.”

“He’ll be more popular now that he’s the heir to Tretton.  I don’t know any fellow that I can get along better with than Scarborough.  I think you were a little hard upon him about his father, you know.”

“In his position he ought to hold his tongue.”

“It’s the strangest thing that has turned up in the whole course of my experience.  You see, if he didn’t talk about it people wouldn’t quite understand what it was that his father has done.  It’s only matter of report now, and the creditors, no doubt, do believe that when old Scarborough goes off the hooks they will be able to walk in and take possession.  He has got to make the world think that he is the heir, and that will go a long way.  You may be sure he doesn’t talk as he does without having a reason for it.  He’s the last man I know to do anything without a reason.”

The evening dragged along very slowly while Jones continued to tell all that he knew of his friend’s character.  But Augustus Scarborough did not return, and soon after ten o’clock, when Harry Annesley could smoke no more cigars, and declared that he had no wish to begin upon brandy-and-water after his wine, he went to his bed.

CHAPTER VIII.

Harry Annesley takes A walk.

“There was the devil to pay with my father last night after I went to him,” said Scarborough to Harry next morning.  “He now and then suffers agonies of pain, and it is the most difficult thing in the world to get him right again.  But anything equal to his courage I never before met.”

“How is he this morning?”

“Very weak and unable to exert himself.  But I cannot say that he is otherwise much the worse.  You won’t see him this morning; but to-morrow you will, or next day.  Don’t you be shy about going to him when he sends for you.  He likes to show the world that he can bear his sufferings with a light heart, and is ready to die to-morrow without a pang or a regret.  Who was the fellow who sent for a fellow to let him see how a Christian could die?  I can fancy my father doing the same thing, only there would be nothing about Christianity in the message.  He would bid you come and see a pagan depart in peace, and would be very unhappy if he thought that your dinner would be disturbed by the ceremony.  Now come down to breakfast, and then we’ll go out shooting.”

For three days Harry remained at Tretton, and ate and drank, and shot and rode, always in young Scarborough’s company.  During this time he did not see the old squire, and understood from Miss Scarborough’s absence that he was still suffering from his late attack.  The visit was to be prolonged for one other day, and he was told that on that day the squire would send for him.  “I’m sick of these eternal partridges,” said Augustus.  “No man should ever shoot partridges two days running.  Jones can go out by himself.  He won’t have to tip the game-keeper any more for an additional day, and so it will be all gain to him.  You’ll see my father in the afternoon after lunch, and we will go and take a walk now.”