"There's a dutiful son for you! You hear what he has done?—returned on your hands as a bale of worthless goods."
"Yes, I hear that Mr. Wall has declined to take him," was her composed answer. "It has happened for the best. When he arrived just now, I was writing to Mr. Wall requesting that he might not be bound."
"And why?" asked Mr. Chattaway in considerable amazement.
"I find I am unable to do without him," said Mrs. Ryle, her tone harder and firmer than ever; her eyes, stern and steady, thrown full on Chattaway. "I have tried the experiment, and it has failed. I cannot do without one by my side devoted to my interests; and John Pinder cannot get on without a master."
"And do you think you'll find what you want in him!—in that inexperienced schoolboy?" burst forth Mr. Chattaway.
"I do," replied Mrs. Ryle, her tone so significantly decided, as to be almost offensive. "He takes his standing from this day as master of Trevlyn Farm; subject only to me."
"I wish you joy of him!" angrily returned Chattaway. "But you must understand, Mrs. Ryle, that your having a boy at the head of affairs will oblige me to look more keenly after my interests."
"My arrangements with you are settled," she said. "So long as I fulfil my part, that is all that concerns you, James Chattaway."
"You'll not fulfil it, if you put him at the head of things."
"When I fail you can come here and tell me of it. Until then, I prefer that you should not intrude on Trevlyn Farm."