“No, sir, I can’t say as I do.”

“What, not Charlie Carstairs?”

“Bless me, it is the young master!” the man said.  “To think of my not knowing you.  But you have changed wonderful.  Why, sir, I have been thinking of you often and often, and most of all the last three days, but I never thought of you like this.”

“Why the last three days, Norman?”

“Haven’t you heard the news, sir?”

“No, I have heard nothing.  Captain Jervoise and I—­my old friend, you know, Norman—­have posted all the way from London, and should have been here six days ago, if it had not been for the storm.”

“Well, sir, there is bad news; at least, I don’t know whether you will consider it bad.  Most of the folk about here looks at it the other way.  But the man in there shot hisself, three days ago.  A magistrate, with some men from Lancaster, came over here.  They say it was to arrest him, but I don’t know the rights of the case.  Anyhow, it is said they read some paper over to him, and then he opened a drawer at the table where he was sitting, and pulled out a pistol, and shot hisself before anyone could stop him.

“There have been bad goings here of late, Mr. Charles, very bad, especially for the last year.  He was not friends with his son, they say, but the news of his death drove him to drink, worse than before; and besides, there have been dicing, and all sorts of goings on, and I doubt not but that the ladies have had a terrible time of it.  There were several men staying in the house, but they all took themselves off, as soon as it was over, and there are only the ladies there now.  They will be glad enough to see you, I will be bound.”

Charlie was shocked; but at the same time, he could not but feel that it was the best thing that could happen, and Harry freely expressed himself to that effect.

“We won’t take the carriage up to the house,” Charlie said, after a long pause.  “Take the valises out, and bring them up to the house presently, Norman.”

He paid the postilion who had brought them from Lancaster, and stood quiet until the carriage had driven off.

“I hope Sir Marmaduke is well, sir.  We have missed him sorely here.”

“He was quite well when I saw him, ten weeks ago.  I hope he will be here before long.  I am happy to say that his innocence of the charge brought against him has been proved, and his estates, and those of Mr. Jervoise and the other gentlemen, have been restored by the queen.”

“That is good news, indeed, sir,” the man exclaimed.  “The best I have heard for many a long year.  Everyone about here will go wild with joy.”

“Then don’t mention it at present, Norman.  Any rejoicings would be unseemly, while John Dormay is lying dead there.”

“Shall I go up with you, Charlie, or will you go alone?” Harry asked.  “Of course, there are some horses here, and you could lend me one to drive over to our own place.”