A CONFESSION O47

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 postillion who had brought them from Lan-
caster, and stood quiet until the carriage had driven off.

“T 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.”