“The sight of the gold acted upon him like the loadstone upon the needle.  He began counting over the pieces; his fingers literally stuck to them.  One by one they disappeared from my sight, and when all were gone, he held out his hand and begged for one guinea more.  I put the pen into his hand, and the paper before him; he sighed heavily as he signed the receipt for the full sum, and told me that I was a prudent young man; that I deserved to be rich; and must succeed in the world, for I knew as well how to take care of my money as he did.  He then entered upon subjects of more general interest, and I was so much pleased with his talents and general information (chiefly obtained, I believe, from books, which are his sole amusement, and with which he is amply furnished from the library at the Hall,) that I invited myself to come over and spend an evening with him.  The old fox took the alarm at this.  He told me that he was quite a recluse, and never received company; but that some evening, when I was quite alone, he would step in and take a cup of coffee with me—­a luxury which he has never allowed himself for the last twenty years.”

The conversation was interrupted by the entrance of Mr. Grant.  Young Wildegrave entered immediately upon the purport of his visit, and the rector, who had a very large family to support upon very limited means, readily consented to Anthony’s removal to Ashton.

The morning was spent in preparing for his journey, and not without a feeling of regret Anthony bade adieu to his kind host, and the place in which he had passed the only happy years of his life.

As his friend slowly drove through Norgood Park, and past Hazelwood Lodge, he turned an anxious gaze towards the house.  Why did the color flush his cheek as he hastily looked another way?  Juliet was standing in the balcony, but she was not alone; a tall figure was beside her.  It was Godfrey Hurdlestone, and the sight of him at such a time, and so situated, sent a pang of anguish through the heart of the young lover.

Frederic Wildegrave marked the deep dejection into which his companion had fallen, and rightly concluded that some lady was the cause.  “Poor fellow,” thought he, “has he, to add to his other misfortunes, been indiscreet enough to fall in love?”

Wishing to ascertain if his suspicions were true, he began to question Anthony about the inhabitants of the Lodge, and soon drew from his frank and confiding cousin the history of his unhappy passion, and the unpleasant misapprehension that had closed Captain Whitmore’s doors against him.

“Well, Anthony,” he said, “it must be confessed that you are an unlucky fellow.  The sins of your father appear to cast a shadow upon the destinies of his son.  Yet, were I in your place, I should write to Captain Whitmore, and clear up this foul stigma that your treacherous cousin has suffered to rest upon your character.”

“No,” said Anthony, “I cannot do it; I am too proud.  She should not so readily have admitted my guilt.  Let Godfrey enjoy the advantage he has gained.  I swore to his father to be a friend to his son, to stand by him through good and bad report; and though his cruel duplicity has destroyed my happiness, I never will expose him to the only friend who can help him in his present difficulties.”