Mr. Chattaway was very much surprised. It was not much in Farmer Apperley's line to lend money: he was too cautious a man. "It's quite true," said George, laughing. "He has so good an opinion of my skill as a farmer, or of the Upland Farm's capabilities, that he has offered to lend me sufficient money to take it." "I should have thought you had had enough of farming land upon borrowed money," ungenerously retorted Chattaway. "So I have--from one point of view," was the composed answer. "But I have managed to clear off the debt, you see, and don't doubt I shall be able to do the same again. Apperley proposes only a fair rate of interest; considerably less than I have been paying you." "It is strange that you, a young and single man, should raise your ambitious eyes to the Upland Farm." "Not at all. If I don't take the Upland, I shall take some other equally large. But I should have to go a greater distance, and I don't care to do that. As to being a single man--perhaps that might be remedied if you will let me have the Upland." He spoke with a laugh; yet Mr. Chattaway detected a serious meaning in the tone, and he gazed hard at George. It may be that his thoughts glanced at his daughter Octave. There was a long pause. "Are you thinking of marrying?" "As soon as circumstances will allow me to do so." "And who is the lady?" George shook his head; a very decisive shake, in spite of the smile on his lips. "I cannot tell you now; you will know sometime." "I suppose I shall, if the match ever comes off," returned Chattaway, in a very cross-grained manner. "If it has to wait until you rent the Upland Farm, it may wait indefinitely." "You will promise me the lease of it, Mr. Chattaway. You cannot think but I shall do the land justice, or be anything but a good tenant." "I won't promise anything of the sort," was the dogged reply. "I'll promise you, if you like, that you never shall have the lease of it." And, talk as George would, he could not get him into a more genial frame of mind. At length he rose, good-humoured and gay; as he had been throughout the interview. "Never mind for the present, Mr. Chattaway. I shall not let you alone until you promise me the farm. There's plenty of time between now and spring." As he was crossing the hall on his way to the door, he saw Miss Diana Trevlyn, and stopped to shake hands with her. "You have been paying your rent, I suppose," she said. "My rent and something else," replied George, in high spirits--the removal of that incubus which had so long lain on him had sent them up to fever heat. "I have handed over the last instalment of the debt and interest, Miss Diana, and have the receipt here"--touching his breast-pocket. "I have paid it under protest, as I have always told Mr. Chattaway; for I fully believe Squire Trevlyn cancelled it."