What was his dismay when, one morning, Mr. Henry sent to request his
presence, and, with a cold, clear voice, read aloud an admirably drawn up
statement, informing the poor landlord of the defalcations, nay more, the
impositions of those whom he had trusted. If he had been alone, he would
have burst into tears, to find how his confidence had been abused. But as
it was, he became passionately angry.
"I'll prosecute them, sir. Not a man shall escape. I'll make them pay back
every farthing, I will. And damages, too. Crayston, did you say, sir? Was
that one of the names? Why, that is the very Crayston who was bailiff under
my father for years. The scoundrel! And I set him up in my best farm when
he married. And he's been swindling me, has he?"
Mr. Henry ran over the items of the account--"421_l_, 13_s_. 4-3/4_d_. Part
of this I fear we cannot recover"----
He was going on, but Mr. Buxton broke in: "But I will recover it. I'll
have every farthing of it. I'll go to law with the viper. I don't care for
money, but I hate ingratitude."
"If you like, I will take counsel's opinion on the case," said Mr. Henry,
coolly.
"Take anything you please, sir. Why this Crayston was the first man that
set me on a horse--and to think of his cheating me!"
A few days after this conversation, Frank came on his usual visit to
Maggie.
"Can you come up to the thorn-tree, dearest?" said he.
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