The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1881-02-10

AuS0 3 Creu1GOrS.
.'Ah, he'll clear EN- all off in his own
fashion, and make himself sure and
comfortable.
''That fellow at Holmbeech! A mush-
room, an upstart, while poor Sir Hugh
and pretty Miss Ella are exiles! It's
shameful! There's no more altering a
lawyers nature than changing a leopard's
spots!'
Such and other less fattering remarks
were made respecting the doings of Law
yer Maythorpe. Sometimes they were
uttered in his very hearing.
It had no further effect on him, how
ever, than to cause q smile, while he
laughed outright at very good joke,
while he heard that the poorer class of
Silverweir intended to show their alb
horrence of his conduct by burning him
n effigy on the 9th of November.
"As long as they don't burn me in re-
atty shall not mlnd," he remarked.
And when the enormous bonfire was
kindled on the common, near the old
church, and just as the efigy had fallen,
making terrible blaze round the stake
to which it had been fastened, 10 and be-
hold! there through the volume of smoke
was seen Lawyer Msythorpe, on horse
He was there and then pronounced to
have q heart of stone. Even the credit
ors called him the hardest man they had
yer known, and pitied Sir Hugh.
Lawyer Maythorpe quibbled and
reasoned over the smallest item. He
showed the Baronet's utter poverty
and, growing, the creditors had to SUBJ
NIT.
"He makes us take anything" one re-
marked, "while he is secure himself
Poor Sir Hugh, to get into the clutches
of such hard-hearted skinAintw
Meanwhile the intelligence had fallen
as abruptly as unexpectedly upon Sir
Hugh. In a letter friendly enough
worded, Lawyer Maythorpe had informed
the Baronet how he had become sole
mortgage, in order that Sir Hugh might
be in less danger. That he had kept the
matter secret, aware that the Baronet
might, out of delicacy. have found it
more difficult to press for time from
friend than a stranger.
Now, however, as he desired to come
to an arrangement with his creatures,
Lawyer Maythorpe had claimed his own
rather than see the place torn piecemeal
by others.
Dut, Uo dSSuTcU, L WILL w every
thing I can" he concluded, for your
interest"
"My interest" calculated the Baronet
angry, panied, as he threw the letter
down. Rather his own!'
"What is the matter, papa, dear?"
asked Ella.
"We've lost the old estates. The
mortgage has foreclosed, and Maythorpe
is now master of Holmbeech."
"Mr. Maythorpe! Oh, papa-and by
back, apparently enjoying the fun as
much as any of them.
what right?'
''The right, Ella, of buying up all the
mortgages. Oh, his claim is good. And
daresay he did let me off more easily
than others might have done. But
when all grab for themselves, why, he
has grabbed too. Like the world-like
the worldr'
"You don't-you can't mean, papa"
exclaimed Ella. tearfully, ''that we are
never to 60 back to dear Holmbeech?"
"Never, pet; unless Maythorpe would
rent it to us! Then we haven't the
money. wish you could marry mil
lionaire. dear!''
Elias fair cheek went crimson-the
Baronet fancied from Indignation, for
she exclaimed, land Lawyer Maythorpe
has done this! l never would have be-
lieved it,"
"Nor I. But everybody's maxim in
this world is each for himself He
might have felt some gratitude-some
pity. I have so few years to live, he
might have let me pass them in the old
place where was born. There, there"
brushing away a tear: "am a school
boy to believe in gratitude of the senti-
mental kind? I daresay Maythorpe
thinks he has done me favors enough to
cover the past; and if he didn't take
Holmbeech, another would. Come,
come, pet, for Ella was weeping on
his shoulder-"take heart. It's q conso-
lstion that did all I could; and If the
place must go, it must. Only am sorry
Maythorpe should have done it. lex
pected better of him."
The loss of Holm beech was a severe
blow to both father and daughter; and
despite their effolt Is to sustain each other
the uay passed very YEARLY.
They were seated on the shore Of Nice,
silently. their thoughts being far away,
watching the waves ripping and break
ing into thousand flashing gems in the
setting suns rays, when q shadow fall
ing across where they sat caused the girl
to look up.
Instantly she gave smile Of recog-
milton, if not of pleasure, on beholding
the conner to be tall, well-made young
man, OF about twenty-five, who, though