Chapter II.

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She went up to the mantelpiece, near which Mr. Gray had been standing until her entrance, and curtseying afresh to him, and pretty deeply this time, because of his cloth, and her being hostess, and he, a new guest. She asked him if he would not prefer speaking to her in her own private parlour, and looked as though she would have conducted him there. But he burst out with his errand, of which he was full even to choking, and which sent the glistening tears into his large blue eyes, which stood farther and farther out with his excitement.

"My lady, I want to speak to you, and to persuade you to exert your kind interest with Mr. Lathom--Justice Lathom, of Hathaway Manor--"

"Harry Lathom?" inquired my lady,--as Mr. Gray stopped to take the breath he had lost in his hurry,--"I did not know he was in the commission."

"He is only just appointed; he took the oaths not a month ago,-- more's the pity!"

"I do not understand why you should regret it. The Lathoms have held Hathaway since Edward the First, and Mr. Lathom bears a good character, although his temper is hasty--"

"My lady! he has committed Job Gregson for stealing--a fault of which he is as innocent as I--and all the evidence goes to prove it, now that the case is brought before the Bench; only the Squires hang so together that they can't be brought to see justice, and are all for sending Job to gaol, out of compliment to Mr. Lathom, saying it his first committal, and it won't be civil to tell him there is no evidence against his man. For God's sake, my lady, speak to the gentlemen; they will attend to you, while they only tell me to mind my own business."

Now my lady was always inclined to stand by her order, and the Lathoms of Hathaway Court were cousins to the Hanbury's. Besides, it was rather a point of honour in those days to encourage a young magistrate, by passing a pretty sharp sentence on his first committals; and Job Gregson was the father of a girl who had been lately turned away from her place as scullery-maid for sauciness to Mrs. Adams, her ladyship's own maid; and Mr. Gray had not said a word of the reasons why he believed the man innocent,--for he was in such a hurry, I believe he would have had my lady drive off to the Henley Court-house then and there;--so there seemed a good deal against the man, and nothing but Mr. Gray's bare word for him; and my lady drew herself a little up, and said -

"Mr. Gray! I do not see what reason either you or I have to interfere. Mr. Harry Lathom is a sensible kind of young man, well capable of ascertaining the truth without our help--"

"But more evidence has come out since," broke in Mr. Gray. My lady went a little stiffer, and spoke a little more coldly:-