With a countenance in which sorrow, anger, and indignation were blended, he assisted in packing up the property belonging to Madam Everard and her niece. This was at once conveyed to Lynderton, where a house had been secured for them. In as short a time as possible they removed from Stanmore Park with everything they possessed. Scarcely were they out of the house than Mr. Sleech and his family took possession. Silas, however, lost the satisfaction of taking up his abode at the Park as the owner, for Mr. Coppinger informed him that he must either give up his situation or return to the counting-house. He selected the latter alternative, greatly to Mr. Kyffin's surprise. The estimation in which that gentleman held Mr. Silas Sleech had of late been considerably lowered. He once had thought him a hard-working, plodding, honest fellow who could be thoroughly trusted--a valuable man in a counting-house. Several circumstances had of late come under Mr. Kyffin's notice with regard to Silas Sleech's mode of life. What he saw of him at Stanmore and heard of him at Lynderton had also yet further lowered him in his estimation. His mind was one especially addicted to forming combinations. He put several things he had seen and heard of Mr. Sleech together. To this he added his own opinion on certain documents which Mr. Sleech had produced, with apparent unwillingness, to criminate Harry. He also found from the porter in Idol Lane that the two young men had been in the constant habit of going out together, and very often not returning till a late hour. These and other circumstances which need not be narrated, made Mr. Kyffin resolve to watch very narrowly the proceedings of Mr. Sleech for the future. Suspicion is more easily aroused than quieted. On further inquiries he had no doubt that the letter for which Silas Sleech had called during his absence, addressed to his house at Hampstead, was from Harry, and that it had been purposely withheld, although Silas declared, when taxed with receiving it, that he had forwarded it to Ireland. Altogether there was a fair prospect that the rogueries of Mr. Silas Sleech would be brought to light. Still, however, he sat at his desk, working on with apparently the greatest diligence, and the same unmoved countenance as usual. In the meantime Mr. Sleech had taken possession of Stanmore for his son, and he and his family were making themselves thoroughly at home in their own fashion. They were somewhat indignant that the neighbourhood did not immediately call and pay that respect which their relatives had been accustomed to receive. It cannot be supposed that Mr. Wallis, nor even Dr. Jessop, had been silent with regard to the way Mr. Sleech had behaved to his sister-in-law and niece, while Paul Gauntlett took every opportunity of describing how he had defended the house, and how they had ultimately outmanoeuvred him. CHAPTER EIGHTEEN. ON THE RAFT.