"It is absurd," he exclaimed, as he had done many a time before, "to think that a beggarly old fellow with one foot in the grave should be able to defy me openly and ruin my view, when I offer him good money down, tenfold more than the ramshackle hovel is worth, if he’ll only clear out to a better house and leave me in peace. When the whole of this fine place is mine, honestly bought and paid for, why should he be allowed to stick there in full sight of my windows, so that I can’t look out without for ever seeing that one blot which spoils it all?" "He says he’d rather die in his bed there than own Farncourt," replied the boy. "Obstinate old duffer," exclaimed his father, "but I doubt he’ll get his desire sooner than he thinks. The way the cliff is breaking away there is a caution, and some fine night he may find his precious roof come tumbling down upon his head; which will be a good way out of the difficulty for me, even if it does not benefit him overmuch! I’ll not rest till I’m master of all the land I can see from Farncourt Tower, and have the undisputed right to prevent upstarts from loafing about the place." "There are two new people come to live at Mrs. Sheppard’s house," remarked Julius, "a lady and a boy. I saw him on the beach yesterday, and he seemed rather jolly. I mean to have him here to play with me sometimes." "Listen to me, Julius," said his father; "you get quite enough of your own way as it is, but I do draw the line somewhere. Ask me for anything in reason and you’ll get it, but to be allowed to bring within my doors any chance riff-raff you may happen to pick up, that I cannot and will not permit." "He’s not a riff-raff," answered Julius sulkily, "he’s quite a gentleman, even if he has rather shabby clothes, and he’s not come on chance. John says he’s going to live here for some time." "How often have I told you not to gossip with your groom," retorted Mr. Field. "If the earl chooses to allow his tenants to let lodgings it’s no business of mine, and he may turn his end of the village into slums for all I care, but the part that belongs to me, I keep for myself and my own people. I’ve knocked about the world all my life, and now I’ve made my pile and settled down on my private estate, no one is to go wandering over it without my permission. I came here for quiet and solitude, and I mean to see that I get it, in spite of all the earls in creation. If you find that stranger woman or her boy trespassing within my grounds, let me know about it, and I’ll soon teach them their place." "I don’t see why I shouldn’t play with him," rejoined Julius, petulantly pushing back his chair from the table, and kicking his feet about. "You won’t let me talk to John, and I don’t like the gardener’s boys; they’re horrid rude fellows and won’t do what I want."