of an ancient family through causes beyond control. It required far
less acumen and knowledge of the world than he possessed to make it
clear to him that the old race of de la Molle was doomed. This story
of farms thrown up and money not forthcoming pointed its own moral,
and a sad one it was. Even Ida's almost childish excitement about the
legend of the buried treasure showed him how present to her mind must
be the necessity of money; and he fell to thinking how pleasant it
would be to be able to play the part of the Fairy Prince and step in
with untold wealth between her and the ruin which threatened her
family. How well that grand-looking open-minded Squire would become a
great station, fitted as he was by nature, descent, and tradition, to
play the solid part of an English country gentleman of the good old-
fashioned kind. It was pitiful to think of a man of his stamp forced
by the vile exigencies of a narrow purse to scheme and fight against
the advancing tide of destitution. And Ida, too,--Ida, who was
equipped with every attribute that can make wealth and power what they
should be--a frame to show off her worth and state. Well, it was the
way of the world, and he could not mend it; but it was with a bitter
sense of the unfitness of things that with some little difficulty--for
he was not yet fully accustomed to its twists and turns--he found his
way past the swelling heap of Dead Man's Mount and round the house to
his own front door.

He entered the house, and having told Mrs. Jobson that she could go to
bed, sat down to smoke and think. Harold Quaritch, like many solitary
men, was a great smoker, and never did he feel the need for the
consolation of tobacco more than on this night. A few months ago, when
he had retired from the army, he found himself in a great dilemma.
There he was, a hale, active man of three-and-forty, of busy habits,
and regular mind, suddenly thrown upon the world without occupation.