ed with flowers, leading to the gate, a small summerhouse on the lawn, and altogether was much the handsomest residence in the village. Three years before, the house, or, at all eve

wo outlying farms, which he preferred to carry on himself rather than let to tenants. Besides, he had stocks and bonds, to which he himself attended. But the farms required more attention than he individually was willing to bestow. Accordingly he employed a competent man, who had the general supervision of t

Squire Leech. "I think you will find it comfortable

the other farm, I s

t the farm, that is, except about half an acre of land for

me there will be need of another permanent farm workman. Now I know an excelle

ction to your engaging him

work for moderate wages. Indeed, he cares more for a permanent place than hig

a famil

s two young

e will move

at was what I was coming at. I thought of your ot

ied it for several years. I sh

her small house my

Leech r

not been much building going on in Wrayburn for se

am afraid it may interfe

that would just suit your cous

re i

ed by the widow C

going

uldn't

hat help us? Who

e on the place for seven hundred and fifty doll

entually fall i

th the semi-annual interest, which comes due next week. She is quite poor-has nothing bu

y with the interest, do

ndred dollars for her share of the property, and th

ndred dollars. How a rich man can deliberately plot to defraud a poor woman of a portion of her small property, you and I, my young reader, may find it hard to understand. Unfortun

saw in it an easy solution of the difficulty which he had met with in securing a house for his cousin. He did not know Mrs. Carter, and felt no particular inte

lent plan," he said, with satisfactio

It is then that the

ady to pay the int

er plan for her to part with it, and so escape the payment of interest. She has to pay fort

on; does he earn anything? Or

isn't much in a small village like this for a

is a good chance of our obtaining the house,

I thin

speak to the widow about it before

orrowing enough. Now, my idea is to say nothing about it till Tuesday. She may depend upon my waiting a few days. That I

rintende

eech," he said. "By the way,

road. It is on the op

here is some land connect

r a small place, I consider it quite desirable. Tomorrow w

g his mother and himself out of their comfortable home, and defrauding his mother of a considerable portion of the small property which his father had left. Had he known this