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man who had faithfully served your relatives for two generations；
and who had been the first person to inform you of the most
important event in your life。 After this specimen of your
estimate of what is due to the claims of common courtesy and
common justice； I cannot flatter myself that I possess any of the
qualities which would fit me to take my place on the list of your
friends。
〃I remain； sir； your obedient servant；
〃JAMES DARCH。〃
〃Stop the messenger！〃 cried Allan； leaping to his feet； his ruddy
face aflame with indignation。 〃Give me pen； ink； and paper！ By
the Lord Harry； they're a nice set of people in these parts； the
whole neighborhood is in a conspiracy to bully me！〃 He snatched
up the pen in a fine frenzy of epistolary inspiration。 〃SirI
despise you and your letter。〃 At that point the pen made a
blot； and the writer was seized with a momentary hesitation。 〃Too
strong；〃 h e thought； 〃I'll give it to the lawyer in his own cool
and cutting style。〃 He began again on a clean sheet of paper。
〃SirYou remind me of an Irish bull。 I mean that story in 'Joe
Miller' where Pat remarked； in the hearing of a wag hard by； that
'the reciprocity was all on one side。' _Your_ reciprocity is all
on one side。 You take the privilege of refusing to be my lawyer；
and then you complain of my taking the privilege of refusing to
be your landlord。〃 He paused fondly over those last words。
〃Neat！〃 he thought。 〃Argument and hard hitting both in one。 I
wonder where my knack of writing comes from？〃 He went on； and
finished the letter in two more sentences。 〃As for your casting
my invitation back in my teeth； I beg to inform you my teeth are
none the worse for it。 I am equally glad to have nothing to say
to you； either in the capacity of a friend or a tenant。ALLAN
ARMADALE。〃 He nodded exultantly at his own composition； as he
addressed it and sent it down to the messenger。 〃Darch's hide
must be a thick one；〃 he said； 〃if he doesn't feel _that！_〃
The sound of the wheels outside suddenly recalled him to the
business of the day。 There was the carriage waiting to take him
on his round of visits； and there was Midwinter at his post；
pacing to and fro on the drive。
〃Read that；〃 cried Allan； throwing out the lawyer's letter； 〃I've
written him back a smasher。〃
He bustled away to the wardrobe to get his coat。 There was a
wonderful change in him； he felt little or no reluctance to pay
the visits now。 The pleasurable excitement of answering Mr。 Darth
had put him in a fine aggressive frame of mind for asserting
himself in the neighborhood。 〃Whatever else they may say of me；
they shan't say I was afraid to face them。〃 Heated red…hot with
that idea； he seized his hat and gloves； and hurrying out of the
room； met Midwinter in the corridor with the lawyer's letter in
his hand。
〃Keep up your spirits！〃 cried Allan； seeing the anxiety in his
friend's face； and misinterpreting the motive of it immediately。
〃If Darch can't be counted on to send us a helping hand into the
steward's office； Pedgift can。〃
〃My dear Allan； I was not thinking of that； I was thinking of Mr。
Darch's letter。 I don't defend this sour…tempered man； but I am
afraid we must admit he has some cause for complaint。 Pray don't
give him another chance of putting you in the wrong。 Where is
your answer to his letter？〃
〃Gone！〃 replied Allan。 〃I always strike while the iron's hota
word and a blow； and the blow first； that's my way。 Don't；
there's a good fellow； don't fidget about the steward's books and
the rent…day。 Here！ here's a bunch of keys they gave me last
night： one of them opens the room where the steward's books are；
go in and read them till I come back。 I give you my sacred word
of honor I'll settle it all with Pedgift before you see me
again。〃
〃One moment；〃 interposed Midwinter； stopping him resolutely on
his way out to the carriage。 〃I say nothing against Mr。 Pedgift's
fitness to possess your confidence； for I know nothing to justify
me in distrusting him。 But he has not introduced himself to your
notice in a very delicate way； and he has not acknowledged （what
is quite clear to my mind） that he knew of Mr。 Darch's unfriendly
feeling toward you when he wrote。 Wait a little before you go to
this stranger； wait till we can talk it over together to…night。〃
〃Wait！〃 replied Allan。 〃Haven't I told you that I always strike
while the iron's hot？ Trust my eye for character； old boy； I'll
look Pedgift through and through； and act accordingly。 Don't keep
me any longer； for Heaven's sake。 I'm in a fine humor for
tackling the resident gentry； and if I don't go at once； I'm
afraid it may wear off。〃
With that excellent reason for being in a hurry； Allan
boisterously broke away。 Before it was possible to stop him
again； he had jumped into the carriage and had left the house。
CHAPTER IV。
THE MARCH OF EVENTS。
MIDWINTER'S face darkened when the last trace of the carriage had
disappeared from view。 〃I have done my best；〃 he said； as he
turned back gloomily into the house 〃If Mr。 Brock himself were
here； Mr。 Brock could do no more！〃
He looked at the bunch of keys which Allan had thrust into his
hand； and a sudden longing to put himself to the test over the
steward's books took possession of his sensitive self…tormenting
nature。 Inquiring his way to the room in which the various
movables of the steward's office had been provisionally placed
after the letting of the cottage； he sat down at the desk； and
tried how his own unaided capacity would guide him through the
business records of the Thorpe Ambrose estate。 The result exposed
his own ignorance unanswerably before his own eyes。 The ledgers
bewildered him； the leases； the plans； and even the
correspondence itself； might have been written； for all he could
understand of them； in an unknown tongue。 His memory reverted
bitterly as he left the room again to his two years' solitary
self…instruction in the Shrewsbury book…seller's shop。 〃If I
could only have worked at a business！〃 he thought。 〃If I could
only have known that the company of poets and philosophers was
company too high for a vagabond like me！〃
He sat down alone in the great hall； the silence of it fell
heavier and heavier on his sinking spirits； the beauty of it
exasperated him； like an insult from a purse…proud man。 〃Curse
the place！〃 he said； snatching up his hat and stick。 〃I like the
bleakest hillside I ever slept on better than I like this house！〃
He impatiently descended the door…steps； and stopped on the
drive； considering； by which direction he should leave the park
for the country beyond。 If he followed the road taken by the
carriage； he might risk unsettling Allan by accidentally meeting
him in the town。 If he went out by the back gate； he knew his own
nature well enough to doubt his ability to pass the room of the
dream without entering it again。 But one other way remained： the
way which he had taken； and then abandoned again； in the morning。
There was no fear of disturbing Allan and the major's daughter
now。 Without further hesitation； Midwinter set forth through the
gardens to explore the open country on that side of the estate。
Thrown off it