hands doggedly into his pockets, and stared
defiantly at his visitor.

Saxon could scarcely repress a smile of
triumph. He had learned more than he came
to ask, and was in a better position than if he had
actually put the questions he was preparing in
his mind.

"I think we slightly misunderstand each
other, Mr. Behrens," he said. "I am here to-
day to pay you the twenty-five thousand pounds
due to you from Lord Castletowers. Do you
wish to receive it in cash, or shall I pay it into
any bank on your account?"

"You—you can pay it over to me, if you
please, sir," stammered the woolstapler, utterly
confounded by the turn which affairs were taking.

"I am not sure that I have quite so large
a sum at my banker's at this present moment,"
said Saxon; "but I will go at once to Signor
Nazzari of Austin-Friars, who is my stockbroker,
and arrange the matter. In the mean while, if I
give you a cheque for the amount, Mr. Behrens,
you will not present it, I suppose, before to-
morrow?"

"No, not before to-morrow. Certainly not
before to-morrow."

Saxon drew his cheque-book from his pocket,
and laid it before him on the table.

"By the way, Mr. Behrens," he said, "I
hear that you have built yourself a pretty house
down at Castletowers."

"Confoundedly damp," replied the
woolstapler.

"Indeed! The situation is very pleasant.
Your grounds once formed a part of the
Castletowers park, did they not?"

"Yes; I gave his lordship two thousand
pounds for that little bit of land. It was too
much—more than it was worth."

Saxon opened the cheque-book, drew the ink-
stand towards him, and selected a pen.

"You would not care to sell the place, I
suppose, Mr. Behrens?" he said, carelessly.

"Humph! I don't know."

"If you would, I should be happy to buy it."

"The house and stables cost me two thousand
five hundred pounds to build."

"And yet are damp!"

"Well, the damp is really nothing to speak
of," replied Mr Behrens, quickly.

"Let me see; I believe Lord Castletowers
sold a couple of farms at the same time. Did you
buy those also, Mr. Behrens?"

"No, sir. They were bought by a neighbour
of mine—a Mr. Sloper. I rather think they are
again in the market."

"I should be very glad to buy them, if they
are."

"You wish, I see, to have a little landed
property over in England, Mr. Trefalden. You are
quite right, sir; and after all, you are more than
half an Englishman."

"My name is English; my descent is English;
and my fortune is English," replied Saxon,
smiling. "I should be ungrateful if I were not
proud to acknowledge it."

The woolstapler nodded approval.

"Well," he said, "I have lately bought an
estate down in Worcestershire, and I have no objection
to sell the Surrey place if you have a fancy
to buy it. It has cost me, first and last, nearly
five thousand pounds."

"I will give you that price for it with pleasure,
Mr. Behrens," replied Saxon. "Shall I make
out the cheque for thirty thousand pounds, and
settle it at once?"

The seller laughed grimly.

"I think you had better wait till your cousin
comes back, before you pay me for it, Mr.
Trefalden. The bargain is made, and that's enough;
but you ought not to part from your money
without receiving your title-deeds in exchange."

Saxon hesitated and looked embarrassed.

"If you are afraid that I shall change my mind,
you can give me fifty pounds on the bargain—
will that do? People don't buy freehold estates
in quite that off-hand way, you see, even though
they may be as rich as the Bank of England—but
one can see you are not much used to business."

"I told you I was only a farmer, you know,"
laughed Saxon, making out his cheque for the
twenty-five thousand and fifty pounds.

"Ay—but take care you don't fling your money
away, Mr. Trefalden. You're a very young man,
and, begging your pardon for the observation,
you don't know much of the world. Money is a
hard thing to manage; and you have more, I
fancy, than you know what to do with."

"Perhaps I have."

"At all events, you can't do better than buy
land—always remember that. I do it myself, and
I advise others to do it."

"I mean to buy all I can get in my native
canton."

"That's right, sir; and if you like, I will
inquire about those two farms for you."

"I should be more obliged to you than I can
express."

"Not in the least. I like you; and when I like
people, I am glad to serve them. You wouldn't
be particular to a few hundreds, I suppose?"

"I don't care what price I pay for them."

"Whew! I must not tell Sloper that. In
fact, I shall not mention you at all. Your name
alone would add fifty per cent to the price."

"I shall be satisfied with whatever bargain
you can make for me, Mr. Behrens," said Saxon,
and handed him the cheque.

The woolstapler shrugged his shoulders
impatiently.

"I must give you receipts for these two sums,"
he said; "but your cousin ought to have been
present on behalf of Lord Castletowers. The
whole thing is irregular. Hadn't you better
wait while I send round to Chancery-lane for
Mr. Keckwitch?"

But Saxon, anxious above all things to avoid
a meeting with that worthy man, would not hear
of this arrangement; so Mr. Behrens gave him
a formal receipt in the presence of one of his
clerks, pocketed the cheque, and entered Saxon's
address in his note-book.