father was so proud of. Well, I suppose in the natural order of
things you would go into a profession; and of course if you so desire
you can do that. But if you can see your way to it I would rather
that you stayed here. My house is your home as long as I live; but I
don't wish you to feel in any way dependent. I want you to stay here
if you will; but to do it just because you wish to. To this end I
have made over to you the estate at Camp which was my father's gift
to me when I came of age. It is not a very large one; but it will
give you a nice position of your own, and a comfortable income. And
with it goes my blessing, my dear boy. Take it as a gift from your
father and myself!'

Harold was much moved, not only by the act itself but by the gracious
way of doing it. There were tears in his eyes as he wrung the
Squire's hand; his voice thrilled with feeling as he said:

'Your many goodnesses to my father's son, sir, will, I hope, be
justified by his love and loyalty. If I don't say much it is because
I do not feel quite master of myself. I shall try to show in time,
as I cannot say it all at once, all that I feel.'

Harold continued to live at Normanstand. The house at Camp was in
reality a charming cottage. A couple of servants were installed, and
now and again he stayed there for a few days as he wished to get
accustomed to the place. In a couple of months every one accepted
the order of things; and life at Normanstand went on much as it had
done before Harold had gone to college. There was a man in the house
now instead of a boy: that was all. Stephen too was beginning to be
a young woman, but the relative positions were the same as they had
been. Her growth did not seem to make an ostensible difference to