A COMPROMISE SUGGESTED. 313 



the entail, takes precedence of a male heir in the second branch 

 of the family, or not." 



" Do you advise me, then, Mr. Borum, to resign my guardian< 

 ship at once to Mrs. Gordon 1 " 



" That cannot help you, my good sir, as you are already 

 liable for all rents received, as the acting guardian." 



" Then I shall throw it into Chancery." 



"Worse and worse, my good sir; that would be leaping 

 from the frying-pan into the fire — expenses frightful ! last for 

 years perhaps ; and still you might be held accountable for all 

 the money you have received since the death of Miss Douglas's 

 father." 



" Compromise with these people, then ? " suggested Mr. 

 Harcourt, almost in despair. 



" If Mrs. Gordon will consent to such a proposition, no 

 doubt, my good sir, a compromise may be effected on very 

 advantageous terms ; Mangle and Co. are needy men, having 

 very likely taken up this on speculation, and think one bird in 

 the hand is worth two in the bush. Still, my dear sir, we must 

 not show the white feather too soon ; they have great difficulties 

 in their way, and we must maintain a bold front ; Mr. Macvitsie 

 also is a clever, shrewd little man, and declares he will ferret 

 out all their witnesses ; so that, my good sir, we had better rest 

 on our oars a little, and see what will turn up." 



With this very unsatisfactory answer, Mr. Harcourt quitted 

 Broad Street, perplexed and irresolute how to act ; but before 

 reaching Grosvenor Square, he had come to the conclusion that 

 a compromise was the only thing to save money; and this he 

 resolved to press on Mrs. Gordon and Lady Malcolm by every 

 argument in his power. Finding both ladies at home, he gave 

 the most unfavourable account of the interview with his lawyer, 

 who, he said, strongly advised a compromise. " Only think, my 

 dear madam/' addressing Mrs. Gordon, " of our having to make 

 good all the money expended on your niece's account, for which 

 we are jointly liable." 



" Excuse me, Mr. Harcourt, you only can be responsible for 

 the appropriation of the rents, which you alone have received, 

 without consulting me in any matter whatever relating to the 

 property; but surely the expenditure has not exceeded one- 

 third of the incomings ? " 



" You forget, Mrs. Gordon, we have taken a house in town, 

 for the benefit of the best masters, several seasons in succession, 

 which we should not have done on our own account ; have kept 



