man anywhere. Highly respectable, with an independent fortune; his
father is lately dead, and made at least thirty thousand pounds in trade.
His brother Edward is also dead; so he has the bulk of the property, and
he follows his profession merely for amusement. He would consider it a
great honour."

"And where does he live?"

"Oh, not in this county,--a long way off; close to -----; but it is all
in your lordship's road. A very nice house he has, too. I have known
his family since I was a boy; it is astonishing how his father improved
the place,--it was a poor little lath-and-plaster cottage when the late
Mr. Hobbs bought it, and it is now a very excellent family house."

"Well, you shall give me the address and a letter of introduction, and so
much for that matter. But to return to politics;" and here Lord Vargrave
ran eloquently on, till Mr. Winsley thought him the only man in the world
who could save the country from that utter annihilation, the possibility
of which he had never even suspected before.

It may be as well to add, that, on wishing Lord Vargrave good-night, Mr.
Winsley whispered in his ear, "Your lordship's friend, Lord Staunch, need
be under no apprehension,--we are all right!"



CHAPTER III.

THIS is the house, sir.--_Love's Pilgrimage_, Act iv, sc. 2.