Cruel As The Grave

"Oh, dear father! an old man like you must know! I do want you to give

Lyon help and encouragement as you know best how to do it, without

wounding his pride. You sympathize with his political principles; let

him know that you do. You admire his character; let him feel that you

do."

"What else?"

"This. Since old Mr. Godwin died you have had no agent for your large

estate, and its accounts must be falling into disorder, Lyon is a

lawyer, you know. Offer him the agency of your estate, with a liberal

salary."

"Upon my word, I never thought of that before. Here for three months I

have been thinking whom I could get as an agent, and much as I esteemed

that young man I never once thought of applying to him! But the fact is,

I never looked upon him in the light of a business man, but only as a

brilliant barrister, and eloquent pleader."

"Yet, father, you know he must be a good business man to have

collected such great stores of statistics as he has always at command."

"Well, my love, I will go to-day and offer him the agency. Now what

next?"

"He was too poor and too proud to come before, but as your agent, father,

you must bring him often to the house on business."

"And then?"

"You must leave the rest to me."

Thus it was that the young lawyer became the agent for the great Black

Valley Manor. This agency included not only the management of the

revenues from several rich farms, but also those from the stone

quarries, iron mines, and the water mill at the head of the valley, and

also from the real estate in the village at the foot, all of which was

included in the Black Valley Manor.

The new agent was frequently called to Black Hall, where he was always

received with the utmost courtesy. And as the acquaintance between the

proprietor and the agent ripened into intimacy, a deep and strong

attachment grew between them.

"Youth never showed itself wiser or better than in this young man,"

murmured Mr. Berners to himself.

"Age was never so venerable and beautiful as in this old man," thought

John Lyon Howe to himself.

The old man loaded the young one with many marks of his esteem and

affection. The young man returned these with the warmest gratitude and

highest reverence.

When John Lyon Howe, with his heart filled with love for Sybil Berners,

first entered Black Hall, it was without the slightest suspicion of her

responsive love for him. But when they were thrown so much together, he

was not very long in making the discovery so delightful to his soul,

and yet--so trying too! for, as a man of good principles, there seemed

to be but one course left open to him--the course of self-denial! He

loved the great heiress, and had unintentionally won her love! Therefore

he must fly from her presence, trying to forget her, hoping that she

might forget him.