“All sorts of things, which, of course, they know nothing about. Some have it that you refused the peerage, others that it was not offered.” “Ha!” said the old man, irritably, while a faint flush tinged his cheek. “They say, too,” continued Haire, “that when the Viceroy informed you that you were not to be made a peer, you said: 'Let the Crown look to it, then. The Revenue cases all come to my court; and so long as I sit there, they shall never have a verdict.'” “You must have invented that yourself, Billy,” said the Judge, with a droll malice in his eye. “Come, confess it is your own. It is _so_ like you.” “No, on my honor,” said the other, solemnly. “Not that I would take it ill, Haire, if you had. When a man has a turn for epigram, his friends must extend their indulgence to the humor.” “I assure you, positively, it is not mine.” “That is quite enough; let us talk of something else. By the way, I have a letter to show you. I put it in my pocket this morning, to let you see it; but, first of all, I must show you the writer,--here she is.” He drew forth a small miniature case, and, opening it, handed it to the other. “What a handsome girl! downright beautiful!” “My granddaughter, sir,” said the old man, proudly. “I declare, I never saw a lovelier face,” said Haire. “She must be a rare cheat if she be not as good as she is beautiful. What a sweet mouth!” “The brow is fine; there is a high intelligence about the eyes and the temples.” “It is the smile, that little lurking smile, that captivates me. What may her age be?” “Something close on twenty. Now for her letter. Read that.” While Haire perused the letter, the old Judge sauntered away, looking from time to time at the miniature, and muttering some low inaudible words as he went. “I don't think I understand it. I am at a loss to catch what she is drifting at,” said Haire, as he finished the first side of the letter. “What is she so grateful for?” “You think the case is one which calls for little gratitude, then. What a sarcastic mood you are in this morning, Haire!” said the Judge, with a malicious twinkle of the eye. “Still, there are young ladies in the world who would vouchsafe to bear me company in requital for being placed at the head of such a house as this.” “I can make nothing of it,” said the other, hopelessly.