“A very shrewd plan, Squire Leech,” he said. “By the way, where is the house situated?”
“Only a furlong up the road. It is on the opposite side of the way.”
“I think I remember it. There is some land connected with it, isn't there?”
“Nearly an acre. The house is small, but neat. In fact, for a small place, I consider it quite desirable. Tomorrow we will ride by it, and you can take more particular notice.”
They did ride by, as we know, and Squire Leech pointed it out to his superintendent. Herbert noticed this, but he did not know that the two men had formed a scheme for turning 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, it would have filled him with indignation, and he would have felt that even property is no absolute safeguard against the selfish schemes of the mercenary and the rapacious.
CHAPTER X
SQUIRE LEECH IS BAFFLED
Tuesday arrived, but as yet the check from Mr. Spencer had not been received.
“Never mind, mother,” said Herbert, “you will get it before the end of the week.”