“Look at that old chap, Helen,” said her father, who felt in great good humor; first, because he found that Helen was safe; and again, because Sir Robert, as the unsuspecting old man thought, had cleared up the circumstances of Miss Herbert’s imposture; “I say, Helen, look at that old chap:  isn’t he a nice bit of goods to run away with a pretty girl? and what a taste she must have had to go with him!  Upon my soul, it beats cock-fighting—­confound me, but it does.”

[Illustration PAGE 115—­Isn’t he a nice bit of goods to run away with a pretty girl?]

Helen’s face became crimson as he spoke; and yet, such was the ludicrous appearance which Reilly made, when put in connection with the false scent on which her father was proceeding at such a rate, and the act of gallantry imputed to him, that a strong feeling of humor overcame her, and she burst into a loud ringing laugh, which she could not, for some time, restrain; in this she was heartily joined by her father, who laughed till the tears came down his cheeks.

“And yet, Helen—­ha—­ha—­ha, he’s a stalwart old rogue still, and must have been a devil of a tyke when he was young.”

After another fit of laughter from both father and daughter, the squire said: 

“Now, Helen, my love, go in.  I have good news for you, which I will acquaint you with by and by.”

When she left the garden, her father addressed Reilly as follows: 

“Now, my good fellow, will you tell me how you came to know about Miss Herbert having been seduced by Sir Robert Whitecraft?”

“Fvhy, shir, from common report, shir.”

“Is that all?  But don’t you think,” he replied, “that common report is a common liar, as it mostly has been, and is, in this case.  That’s all I have to say upon the subject.  I have traced the affair, and find it to be a falsehood from beginning to ending.  I have.  And now, go on as you’re doing, and I will make Malcomson raise your wages.”

“Thank you, shir,” and he touched his nondescript with an air of great thankfulness and humility.

“Helen, my darling,” said her father, on entering her own sitting-room, “I said I had good news for you.”

Helen looked at him with a doubtful face, and simply said, “I hope it is good, papa.”

“Why, my child, I won’t enter into particulars; it is enough to say that I discovered from an accidental meeting with that wretched girl we had here that she was not Miss Herbert, as she called herself, at all, but another, named Catherine Wilson, who, having got from Herbert the letter of recommendation which I read to you, had the effrontery to pass herself for her; but the other report was false.  The girl Wilson, apprehensive that either I or Sir Robert might send her to jail, having seen my carriage stop at Sir Robert’s house, came, with tears in her eyes, to beg that if we would not punish her she would tell us the truth, and she did so.”