She began to see that Osborn could not be moved, but she had undertaken to plead Railton's cause.
"He's an old man and has been at Mireside all his life.

He has worked hard and always paid his rent.

Now he's ill and in trouble, it would be shabby to turn him out because there's a risk--it's only a risk--that we might lose something by letting him stay." "You don't seem to understand a landlord's duty," Osborn rejoined.

"He is, so to speak, the steward in charge of the estate; it belongs to the family and is not his.

He must hand it on in good order and this means he cannot indulge his sentimental impulses.