How strange that the two boys should have quarrelled over my
granddaughter!"

"Yes, squire, and young Walsham came well out of it!" John said
heartily; for to him, only, did the squire mention the circumstances of
the case, and he chuckled now to himself, as he thought that Richard
Horton had made an even greater mistake in that matter than he thought
of, for John detested the boy with all his heart, and had only
abstained from reporting his conduct, to the squire, from fear of
giving his master pain.

The squire's brow clouded a little at the allusion.

"It will make a difference to him, John," he said, "for, of course, now
my granddaughter will take his place."

"And a good thing, too!" John said heartily. "I have never said a word
before, squire, because, as you had chosen him as your heir, there was
no use in setting you against him; but a more hatefuller lad than
Richard Horton I never comed across, and so said everyone here. You did
not see much of him, squire, and natural thought well of him, for he
was a good-looking boy, and could speak fair enough when he liked. I
thought well of him, myself, when he first came, but I larned better,
afterwards."

"There are many excuses to be made for him, John," the squire said,
"and I have had good reports of him, since. Of course, I shall see
that, although he can no longer be regarded as my heir here, he shall
be well provided for. But there will be plenty of time to think of
this."