Of Sir Francis Mitchell she had less apprehension; for, though equally mischievous and malevolent with his partner, he was far feebler of purpose, and for the most part governed by him.

Besides, she felt she had the amorous knight in her toils, and could easily manage him if he were alone.
So the case stood with respect to our pretty hostess; but, before proceeding further, it may be well to give a more complete description of the two birds of prey by whom she was threatened with beak and talon.
The master-spirit of the twain was undoubtedly Sir Giles Mompesson.
Quick in conception of villainy, he was equally daring in execution.
How he had risen to his present bad eminence no one precisely knew; because, with the craft and subtlety that distinguished him, he laid his schemes so deeply, and covered his proceedings with so thick a veil, that they had been rarely detected.

Report, however, spoke of him as a usurer of the vilest kind, who wrung exorbitant interest from needy borrowers,--who advanced money to expectant heirs, with the intention of plundering them of their inheritance,--and who resorted to every trick and malpractice permitted by the law to benefit himself at his neighbour's expense.

These were bad enough, but even graver accusations were made against him.

It was whispered that he had obtained fraudulent possession of deeds and family papers, which had enabled him to wrest estates from their rightful owners; and some did not scruple to add to these charges that he had forged documents to carry out his nefarious designs.