"Oh!—--" Minnie began.
"Pray, let us change the subject," said Sylvia angrily. "I'm tired of your charities and drowned persons. It always happens that the one who saves, manages most cleverly for his deed to be known where he thinks it will benefit him."
"For shame, Sylvia!" said Dorcas.
"Of course," rejoined Burton, with an uncertain, uneasy glance, "you had a pathetic account of the cause; the poverty, the——"
"It was not poverty alone," answered Dorcas; "but, with your permission, we will drop the subject."
"'Tis best," he replied carelessly; "these people are tenants of mine, and, I fear, bearing no very good name: we must get rid of them."
"Talking of that," asked Juvenal, "have you succeeded in ejecting that fellow Weld?"
"No; I fear it will be impossible. His lease is good, and was only just renewed for twenty-one years when——"
He paused: something withheld him from uttering the name of Tremenhere that day: Minnie's speaking eyes were fixed upon him.
"Ah! yes; I see," rejoined Juvenal; "it is very annoying."