And then she blushed, as she remembered Stafford, and that she was no longer alone in the world.
"And so I think you ought to be told that your father's affairs are--are not as satisfactory as they should be." "I know that we are very poor," said Ida in a low voice.
"Ah, yes," he said.

"And so are a great many of the landed gentry nowadays; but they still struggle on, and I had hope that by some stroke of good luck I might have helped your father to struggle on and perhaps save something, make some provision, for you.

But, my dear--See now! I am going to treat you as if you were indeed a woman; and you will be brave, I know, for you are a Heron, and a Heron--it sounds like a paradox!--has never shown the white feather--your father's affairs have been growing worse lately, I am afraid.

You know that the estate is encumbered, that the entail was cut off so that you might inherit; but advantage has been taken of the cutting off the entail to raise fresh loans since the steward was dismissed and I have been ignorant of your father's business matters.

I came to-day to tell him that the interest of the heaviest mortgage was long overdue, and that the mortgagee, who says that he has applied several times, is threatening foreclosure.