"Then I will make her an offer for the place, and represent to her that it will be the better plan for her to part with it, and so escape the payment of interest. She has to pay forty-five dollars a year, and that is a great drain upon one who earns no more than she does."

"I think you said she had a son; does he earn anything? Or perhaps he isn't old enough."

"Yes, he is thirteen or fourteen; still, there isn't much in a small village like this for a boy to do. He is attending school, I believe."

"Then, in one way or another, you think there is a good chance of our obtaining the house," said the superintendent, with satisfaction.

"Yes, I think so."

"How would it do to go around and speak to the widow about it beforehand? I could then write to Brown."

"As to that, she may be very particular to retain the house, and even if she is not provided with the money, succeed in borrowing enough.

Now, my idea is to say nothing about it till Tuesday. She may depend upon my waiting a few days. That I shall not do. If the money is not forthcoming I will foreclose at once, without giving her time to arrange for the money."

The superintendent nodded.

"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."

"But I shall need it to pay the interest to Squire Leech. He will call for it today."

"How much it is?"

"Twenty-two dollars and a half."

"You forget the gold I handed you last week."

"I don't like to use it, Herbert; I want you to use it for yourself."

"I am as much interested in paying the interest as you, mother. Don't I occupy the house?"

Seeing that Herbert was in earnest, Mrs. Carter overcame her scruples, and laid aside enough of the money to make up the amount required.

About five minutes of twelve Squire Leech was seen advancing to the front door with slow, pompous steps.

"There he comes, mother!" said Herbert. "I'll open the door."

"Is your mother at home, Herbert?" asked the squire, in a dignified tone.

"Yes, sir. Won't you walk in?"

"Ahem, yes! I think I will. I have a little matter of business with her."

Squire Leech entered the small sitting room, which seemed uncomfortably full when he was in it--not on account of his size, but because he seemed so swollen with a sense of his own importance as to convey the idea that he was cramped for s.p.a.ce--very much like an owl in the cage of a canary.

"Good morning, Squire Leech," said the widow.

"Good morning, ma'am. I apprehend you know my errand."

"I suppose you come for the interest, Squire Leech."

"You are quite right. Of course you are prepared to pay it."

Though the squire said "of course," he by no means expected that it would be ready, nor, for reasons which we know, did he desire it. He was rather discomfited, therefore, when Mrs. Carter said: "Did you bring a receipt with you, squire?"

"A receipt in full?" queried the great man.

"Yes, sir."

"Are you prepared to pay the whole today?"

"Yes, sir."

This ought to have been gratifying intelligence, but it was not. The squire looked quite crestfallen.

"No, I didn't bring a receipt," he said, slowly.

"I'll bring writing materials," said Herbert, promptly.

He left the room, but appeared almost instantly with pen, ink, and paper.

The squire sat down to the table with a disappointed air, and slowly wrote the required doc.u.ment.

"He seems sorry to receive the money," thought Herbert, who was quick in reading the faces of others. "I wonder why?" and he gazed at the visitor in some perplexity.

The squire received the money, and handed the widow the receipt. Still he did not seem inclined to go. He was thinking how to broach the subject of selling the house.

"Mrs. Carter," he began, "forty-five dollars a year seems a good deal for you to pay."

"Yes, it is considerable," said the widow, surprised. Could it be that he intended to reduce the interest? That did not seem like him.