would you have done so, but Tom and I understood that it was only to be
a three days' sale."

"Quite right, Leonard. As first advertised the sale was for three days,
but the auctioneer found that he could not get through in the time. The
accumulations of such an ancient house as Outram Hall are necessarily
_vast_," and he waved his hand with a large gesture.

"Yes," said Leonard.

"Hum!" went on Mr. Beach, after a pause which was beginning to grow
awkward. "Doubtless you will find it a matter for congratulation that on
the whole things sold well. It is not always the case, not by any
means, for such collections as those of Outram, however interesting and
valuable they may have been to the family itself, do not often fetch
their worth at a country auction. Yes, they sold decidedly well, thanks
chiefly to the large purchases of the new owner of the estate. This
tankard, for instance, which I have bought--hem--as a slight memento of
your family, cost me ten shillings an ounce."

"Indeed!" answered Leonard coldly; "I always understood that it was
worth fifty."

Then came another pause, during which all who were present, except Mr.
Beach and himself, rose one by one and quitted the room. Jane was the
last to go, and Leonard noticed, as she passed him, that there were
tears in her eyes.

"Jane," said her father in a meaning voice when her hand was already on
the door, "you will be careful to be dressed in time for dinner, will