76 THE MASTER OF THE HOUNDS. 



CHAPTER VIII. 



On the following morning a dispatch, was addressed to Lord 

 Yancourt, at his father's seat in Bedfordshire, with a pressing 

 invitation from Lord Mervyn ; and in the postscript, a hint 

 about the heiress with ten thousand a year; to which an 

 answer was quickly returned by Lord Yancourt, naming Mon- 

 day week for his visit to Marston Castle. 



The intelligence of the new visitor's expected arrival, on 

 the day appointed, soon spread through the household ; and 

 Thomas Carter, the footman, having obtained leave of absence 

 for an hour or two, one afternoon, sent a message, by a trusty 

 friend, to Mark Hosier, to meet him in a by-road near the 

 village. Mark was true to his appointment, and shaking 

 hands with Thomas, inquired why he wished so particularly 

 to see him. 



" You shall soon hear what I want you for, Mark, but let 

 us go across the field to that cow-house yonder. We may be 

 seen here together by some of my lord's men ; and you are no 

 favourite, you know." 



" There's no love lost between us," said Mark. 



Having looked well all round the cow-house, Thomas 

 began — 



" There's a plot hatched up at the Castle, between my lord 

 and Yernon, to bring down a young scamp, called Lord Yan- 

 court, to cut out the young squire with Miss Douglas ; for 

 people do say that the young lady is very partial to Mr. William. 

 So, my lord and Yernon is desperately afraid she'll marry him, 

 and her money help to keep on the hounds, as the old squire is 

 hard up." 



" 'Tis a lie, Tom ! The ould squire ain't hard up, but as 

 sound in the pocket as ever that sallow-faced lord is." 



" Well, Mark, that's what Yernon said." 



" He's a liar, then — but now, let us hear what I can do in 

 this business ; for sooner than any one of that old rascal's 

 friends should marry that young lady, I'll put one of my silent 

 bullets through his heart, — that's what I'll do for him, Tom." 



" No, you won't ; we can do without ifc." 



" I tell you what it is, Tom. The old squire sent for father 

 t'other day, and asked him all about his being turned out of the 

 farm by my lord up there. ' Never mind. Rosier,' says he^ 

 *you are a hardlv-used laan, and as Giles leaves his holding, at; 



