‘We won’t mind talking about it, if you please,’ said the squire.

’Well; of course I won’t, if you don’t like it; but upon my word you ought to look about you; you ought indeed.’

‘In what way do you mean?’ said Clara.

’If your father doesn’t like to keep the land in his own hands, he should let it to some one who would put stock in it not go on cutting it year after year and putting nothing back, as this fellow will do.  I’ve been talking to Stovey, and that’s just what he means.’

‘Nobody here has got money to put stock on the land,’ said the squire, angrily.

’Then you should look for somebody somewhere else.  That’s all.  I’ll tell you what now, Mr Amedroz, I’ll do it myself.’  By this time he had helped himself to two large slices of cold mutton, and was eating his breakfast and talking with an equal amount of energy for either occupation.

‘That’s out of the question,’ said the squire.

’I don’t see why it should be out of the question.  It would be better for you and better for me too, if this place is ever to be mine.’  On hearing this the squire winced, but said nothing.  This terrible fellow was so vehemently outspoken that the poor old man was absolutely unable to keep pace with him even to the repeating of his wish that the matter should be talked of no further.  ‘I’ll tell you what I’ll do, now,’ continued Belton.  ’There’s altogether, outside the palings and in, about a hundred and fifty acres of it.  I’ll give you one pound two and sixpence an acre, and I won’t cut an acre of grass inside the park no, nor much of it outside either only just enough to give me a little fodder for the cattle in winter.’

‘And give up Plaistow Hall?’ asked Clara.

’Lord love you, no.  I’ve a matter of nine hundred acres on hand there, and most of it under the plough.  I’ve counted it up, and it would just cost me a thousand pounds to stock this place.  I should come and look at it twice a year or so, and I should see my money home again, if I didn’t get any profit out of it.’

Mr Amedroz was astonished.  The man had only been in his house one night, and was proposing to take all his troubles off his hands.  He did not relish the proposition at all.  He did not like to be accused of not doing as well for himself as others could do for him.  He did not wish to make any change although he remembered at the moment his anger with Farmer Stovey respecting the haycarts.  He did not desire that the heir should have any immediate interest in the place.  But he was not strong enough to meet the proposition with a direct negative.  ’I couldn’t get rid of Stovey in that way,’ he said, plaintively.  I’ve settled it all with Stovey already,’ said Belton.  ’He’ll be glad enough to walk off with a twenty-pound note, which I’ll give him.  He can’t make money out of the place.  He hasn’t got means to stock it, and then see the wages that hay-making runs away with!  He’d lose by it even at what he’s paying, and he knows it.  There won’t be any difficulty about Stovey.’