“Don’t be unjust to her, Larry.”

“Unjust to her!  If giving her every blessed thing I had in the world at a moment’s notice was unjust, I was ready to be unjust any day of the week or any hour of the day.”

“What I mean is that her heart was fixed that way before Reginald Morton was squire of Bragton.  What shall I say in answer to her message?  You will wish her happiness;—­will you not?”

“Wish her happiness!  Oh, heavens!” He could not explain what was in his mind.  Wish her happiness! yes;—­the happiness of the angels.  But not him, nor yet with him!  And as there could be no arranging of this, he must leave his wishes unsettled.  And yet there was a certain relief to him in the tidings he had heard.  There was now no more doubt.  He need not now remain at Chowton thinking it possible that the girl might even yet change her mind.

“And you will bear in that she wishes you to be a man.”

“Why did she not make me one?  But that is all, all over.  You tell her from me that I am not the man to whimper because I am hurt.  What ought a man to do that I can’t do?”

“Let her know that you are going about your old pursuits.  And, Larry, would you wish her to know how it was with you at the club last Saturday?”

“Did she hear of that?”

“I am sure she has not heard of it.  But if that kind of thing becomes a habit, of course she will hear of it.  All Dillsborough would hear of it, if that became common.  At any rate it is not manly to drown it in drink.”

“Who says I do that?  Nothing will drown it.”

“I wouldn’t speak if I had not known you so long, and loved you so well.  What she means is that you should work.”

“I do work.”

“And hunt.  Go out to-morrow and show yourself to everybody.”

“If I could break my neck I would.”

“Don’t let every farmer’s son in the county say that Lawrence Twentyman was so mastered by a girl that he couldn’t ride on horseback when she said him nay.”

“Everybody knows it, Mr. Masters.”

“Go among them as if nobody knew it.  I’ll warrant that nobody will speak of it”

“I don’t think any one of ’em would dare to do that,” said Larry brandishing his stick.

“Where is it that the hounds are Larry?”

“Here; at the old kennel.”

“Go out and let her see that you have taken her advice.  She is there at the house, and she will recognise you in the park.  Remember that she sends her love to you, and bids you be a man.  And, Larry, come in and see us sometimes.  The time will come, I don’t doubt, when you and the squire will be fast friends.”

“Never!”

“You do not know what time can do.  I’ll just go back now because he is to come to me this afternoon.  Try and bear up and remember that it is she who bids you be a man.”  The attorney got upon his pony and rode back to Dillsborough.