Orley Farm

nging to the Bull Inn. The park itself is spacious, but is flat and uninteresting, being surrounded by a thin belt of new-looking fir-trees, and containing but very little old or handsome timber.

wner says; and if a portico with a pediment and seven Ionic column

e a bad man. He was just in his dealings, or at any rate endeavoured to be so. He strove hard to do his duty as a county magistrate against very adverse circumstances. He endeavoured to enable his tenants and labourers to live. He was severe to his children, and was not loved by them; but nevertheless they were dear to him, and he endeavoured

had ever boasted to himself that he had paid all men all that he owed. He had, so he thought, injured no one in any of the relations of life. His tradesmen got their money regularly. He answered every man's letter. He exacted nothing from any man for which he did not pay. He never ill-us

When he was taken in with a warranty for a horse, he pursued the culprit to the uttermost. Maid-servants who would not come from their bedrooms at six o'clock, he would himself disturb while enjoying their stolen slumbers. From his children he exacted all titles of respect, because he had a right to them. He wanted nothing that bel

nt a great deal of money for clothes, and gave herself sundry airs. She was a little woman with long eyes, and regular eyelashes, with a straight nose, and thin lips and regular teeth. Her face was oval, and her hair was brown. It had at least onc

as her great virtue, and a power of saving her strong point. I have said that she spent much money in dress, and some people will perhaps think that the two points of character are not compatib

own room. The miser who starves himself and dies without an ounce of flesh on his bones, while his skinny head lies on a bag of gold, is after all, respectable. There has been a grand passion in his life, and that grandest work of man, self-denial. You cannot altogether despise one who has clothed himself with rags and fed himself with bone-scrapings, while broadcloth and ortolans were within his easy re

ascertained what was sufficient,-amply sufficient as he was told by the colonel of the regiment and the tutor of the college,-and that amount he allowed, assuring both Joseph and John that if they spent more, they would themselves have to pay for it out of the moneys wh

ho does go into society, whether it be of county or town, will fully understand the difference between a liberal and a stingy wardrobe. Girls with slender provisions of millinery may be fit to go out,-quite fit in their father's eyes; and yet all such going o

or classic literature, which she indulged by a use of Lemprière's dictionary. They were not especially pretty, nor were they especially plain. They were well

such circumstances would be sure to see him, although the express purpose of the proposed interview should not have been explained to him. Such in result was exactly the case. Mr. Mason did remember th

d to him in the magistrate's study; "though I never had the pleasure of seeing you before,-to my knowledge. My name is Dockwr

hing, merely bowing his head at each separate statement. He knew all about old Usbech's daughter ne

rm to have anything to do with the matter myself, but nevertheless I remember all th

ath, I remember

tion to speak out plainly before Mr. Mason, but he was anxious that that gentleman should speak out to

e words of his companion, and looking as ponderous and grave as ever. His

t there was something that ha

f thing, Mr.

hink that your lawyers manage

d have done it bett

e's a deal better evidence than any that is given by word of mouth. A clever counsel can turn a witness pretty nearly any way he likes, but he can't d

t them up since,

under that deed. To be sure that's gone and spent long since, and the Lord Chancellor with all the judges couldn't

object to say what i

think that that codicil was a correct instrument; and in that case of Mason versus Mason I don't think that you and your friends got to the botto

nd therefore there was a short period of silence-"And have you

at I have," sai

e very private matters; and although I should feel myself under an obligation to you, or to any man who might assist me to arrive at a

not some good reason for doing so. I don't think that you ever got to the bottom of that matter, and I can't say that I have do

of Bedford Row. Will it not be better th

r. Mason, and I have to look about very sharp,-very sharp indeed." Then there was another pause, and Mr. Dockwrath began to perceive that Mr. Mason was not by nature an open, demonstrative, or communicative man. If anything further was to be done, he himself must open out a little. "The fact is, Mr. Mason, that I have come across documents w

ments are with

to prove. Copies of one or two items I have made; not regular copies, Mr. Mason, but just a line or

k it possible that his visitor had discovered information which might be

me you are rather shy of coming forward to meet me. As I said before, I've a very heavy family, and I'm not going to cut the nose off my own face to

f any facts regarding the Orley Farm estate which I ought to know, I will see

with Round and Crook. So

Mr. Doc

nour, I'll put you in possession of what I've discovered, and leave it to you afterwards to do what you think right about my

k in holding any personal intercourse with him; but nevertheless he could not resist the temptation. He most firmly believed that that codicil had not expressed the genuine last will and fair disposition of property made by his father, and it might certainly be the case that pr

her hear it, for there is not much to see." And so saying

the same to you, Mr. Dockwrath. I shall

ew dates and particulars, just jotted down to assist my own memory." The document, supported by which Mr. Dockwrath had come down to Yorkshire,

dicil. 14t

; Bridget Bolster; Jonathan Usbech. N.B.

Deed of separation;

d at Or

Deed was prepared in the office of Jonathan U

concerning them. He was not a man quick at receiving new ideas into his mind, or of understanding new points; but that which had once

it, sir?" sai

Mason, still looking

dates, to

re the same;-the 14th o

h, looking very keenly in

son, looking over t

er were witnesses to both the i

" said the

nce that either of them recollected having been

g of that came out;-o

ofession out of London who know quite as much as Round and Crook. They ought to have had those facts, seeing that the very copy of the document was turned over by their hands." And Mr. Dockwrath hi

But he did not even yet see the point. He m

t of mine by such carelessness as that, I'd-I'd strike my own name off the rolls; I would indeed. I never could look a coun

o," said Mr. Mason, st

no object in keeping

kwrath; how does it bear upon us? The date

n is genuine. There is

're sure

a lot of such documents executed between Mason and Martock after the old man

e partner

ery clever, and it's almost a pity that she should com

aid he, "if what you seem to allege be true, she

shoulders. "It is very blue

r; a common swindler.

Mason." The attorney during the last ten minutes of the conversation had quite altered his tone, understanding that he had already achieved a great part of his object; but Mr. Mason in his intense anxiety did not observe this. Had M

father never intended to s

id sign it,

on, still not enlightened as to the tr

. They certainly did witness a signature made by the old gentleman in his own room on that 14th of J

said M

not witness tw

hink n

ould have remembered it, and would

s then at the foot of t

ell, Mr. Mason, you and I that is, who did not. And having c

f content, and had been to him as a thorn ever present in a festering sore. He had always believed that she had defrauded him, but this belief had been qualified by the unbelief of others. It might have been, he had half thought, that the old man had signed the codicil in his dotage, having been cheated and bullied into it by the woman. There had been no day in her life on which he would not have ruined her, had it been in his power to do so. But now-now, new and grander ideas were breaking in upon his mind. Could it be possible that he might live to see her, not merely deprived of her ill-gained money, but

do now, Mr. Dockwra

me the honour of asking my advice up

. "A man in my position cannot very well change his legal advisers at a moment's no

glected your business in a most shamef

'll think over this matter in quiet, and then I'll come up to town. P

tion the matter to

. I think it will perhaps be better that I sh

ut my expens

aster of the house could give or withhold permission the mistress of the house

gaged," said

on. Perhaps this is the

Hamworth. I hope I have the pleasure of seeing you very wel

ing them; and then Mrs. Mason curtsied to the stranger. She to

aid Mr. Mason. And then the lady, on hospitabl