"So," says Vanston, "you are beginning to feel that there is something
wrong on your property, and that your agent is not doing you justice?"
"I have reason to suspect," replied Chevydale, "that he is neither more
nor less than feathering his own nest at the expense of myself and my
tenantry. I cannot understand why he is so anxious to get the M'Mahons
off the estate; a family unquestionably of great honesty, truth, and
integrity, and who, I believe, have been on the property before it
came into our possession at all. I feel--excuse me, Vanston, for the
admission, but upon my honor it is truth--I feel, I say, that, in the
matter of the election--that is, so far as M'Mahon was concerned, he--my
agent--made a cat's paw of me. He prevented me from supporting young
M'Mahon's memorial; he--he--prejudiced me against the family in several
ways, and now, that I am acquainted with the circumstances of strong and
just indignation against me under which M'Mahon voted, I can't at all
blame him. I would have done the same thing myself."
"There is d----d villany somewhere at work," replied Vanston. "They talk
of a fifty-pound note that I am said to have sent to him by post. Now, I
pledge my honor as an honest man and a gentleman, that I have sifted and
examined all my agents, and am satisfied that he never received a penny
from me.
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