“You see, it was this a way, sir. When Kirby went to foreign parts, the old squire was too ill to be bothered about his successor, and after he died the place was left without one. But surely, sir, Mr. Prowt wrote to you about all these matters, for he sartinly told me as you had wrote back how you would wait till you come down here in person to see the place before you would appoint aither gamekeeper or coachman.” “What! has the coachman gone too?” “Surely, sir, Mr. Prowt wrote and told you that, too! He left to better himself, so he said—took sarvice along of the Duke of Ambleton.” “What wages do you get as groom here, Hobbs?” “Head groom, sir, and twenty pund a year and my keep, and bin in the famberly, man and boy, fifty years, and hope to continuate in it for fifty more, I was gwine to say, but anyways as long as I can work, and that will be as long as I live, for I’d scorn to retire.” “Excellent, Hobbs. Have you a family?” “Wife, sir, keeping house for me in the cottage there,” said the old man, pointing to a little stone cottage built in the wall next the stable, “and one son, sir—boy that driv the dogcart. Steady lad, sir, though his feyther says it; and one darter, sir, upper housemaid at the Hall—good girl, sir.” “You are blessed in your family, Hobbs.” “Thanks be to Heaven, sir!” “Now, then, you said your wages as head groom were twenty pound a year. How much did the coachman get?” “Just twice as much, sir, forty pound a year, and a good sound house over his head, and his livery and his beer. And left all that, sir, for ten pund more, and gold lace on his coat, and the honor of driving a duke. May the de’il fly away with him!—begging your pardon, sir.” “Don’t mention it,” laughed Ran. “But you would not have left Haymore under the same circumstances?” “Me!—why, sir, I never had the chance, so what would be the use of boasting? But, indeed, I don’t think I would.” “Hobbs, can you drive?” “None better in the world, sir, though I say it.” “Then you shall be my coachman at the same wages that your predecessor now gets from his new master,” said Ran, smiling benignly down on the stupefied face of the man before him. “Oh, sir! sir! but this is too much, too much for poor me! Such a permotion as to be coachman! I can hardly believe it, sir! I can’t, indeed! And at a rise of wages, too! I can’t hardly believe it!” droned Hobbs, fairly dazed by his good fortune. “Go and tell your wife, then. And begin to see about your livery, and fix up the coachman’s cottage—at my cost, Hobbs. All that will help you to believe it. Good-day.” With these words the gracious young master left the stable yard and walked back to the Hall, happy in the feeling of having made others so, yet grave and thoughtful in the recognition of his responsibilities for all who were dependent on him. CHAPTER XX THE NEW RECTOR