was made a park, had never before been regarded in this fashion. Farmer
Stovey, of the Grange, was the first man of that class who had ever
assumed the right to pasture his sheep in Belton chase as the people
around were still accustomed to call the woodlands of the estate.

It was full summer at Belton, and four months had now passed since the
dreadful tidings had reached the castle. It was full summer, and the
people of the village were again going about their ordinary business;
and the shop-girls with their lovers from Redicote were again to be
seen walking among the oaks in the park on a Sunday evening; and the
world in that district of Somersetshire was getting itself back into
its grooves. The fate of the young heir had disturbed the grooves
greatly, and had taught many in those parts to feel that the world was
coming to an end. They had not loved young Amedroz, for he had been
haughty when among them, and there had been wrongs committed by the
dissolute young squire, and grief had come from his misdoings upon more
than one household; but to think that he should have destroyed himself
with his own hand! And then, to think that Miss Clara would become a
beggar when the old squire should die! All the neighbours around
understood the whole history of the entail, and knew that the property
was to go to Will Belton. Now Will Belton was not a gentleman! So, at
least, said the Belton folk, who had heard that the heir had been
brought up as a farmer somewhere in Norfolk. Will Belton had once been
at the Castle as a boy, now some fifteen years ago, and then there had
sprung up a great quarrel between him and his distant cousin Charles
and Will, who was rough and large of stature, had thrashed the smaller
boy severely; and the thing had grown to have dimensions larger than
those which generally attend the quarrels of boys; and Will had said
something which had shown how well he understood his position in
reference to the estate and Charles had hated him. So Will had gone,