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〃I shall certainly be out；〃 said Ethel。 〃I do not wish ever to see his face
again； and I must see grandmother and tell her what we are going to do。〃
〃I dare say she guesses already。 She advised me to ask you about the
mortgage。 She knew what you would say。〃
〃Father； who are the Tyrrel…Rawdons？〃
Then the Judge told the story of the young Tyrrel…Rawdon； who a
century ago had lost his world for Love； and Ethel said 〃she liked him
better than any Rawdon she had ever heard of。〃
〃Except your father； Ethel。〃
〃Except my father； my dear； good father。 And I am glad that Love did
not always make them poor。 They must now be rich； if they want to buy
the Court。〃
〃They are rich manufacturers。 Mostyn is much annoyed that the Squire
has begun to notice them。 He says one of the grandsons of the Tyrrel…
Rawdons； disinherited for love's sake； came to America some time in the
forties。 I asked your grandmother if this story was true。 She said it is quite
true； that my father was his friend in the matter； and that it was his reports
about America which made them decide to try their fortune in New York。〃
〃Does she know what became of him？〃
〃No。 In his last letter to them he said he had just joined a party going
to the gold fields of California。 That was in 1850。 He never wrote again。 It
is likely he perished on the terrible journey across the plains。 Many
thousands did。〃
〃When I am in England I intend to call upon these Tyrrel…Rawdons。 I
think I shall like them。 My heart goes out to them。 I am proud of this bit of
romance in the family。〃
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〃Oh； there is plenty of romance behind you； Ethel。 When you see the
old Squire standing at the entrance to the Manor House； you may see the
hags of Cressy and Agincourt； of Marston and Worcester behind him。 And
the Rawdon women have frequently been daughters of Destiny。 Many of
them have lived romances that would be incredible if written down。 Oh；
Ethel； dear； we cannot； we cannot for our lives； let the old home fall into
the hands of strangers。 At any rate； if on inspection we think it wrong to
interfere； I can at least try and get the children of the disinherited Tyrrel
back to their home。 Shall we leave it at this point for the present？〃
This decision was agreeable to all； and then the few preparations
necessary for the journey were talked over； and in this happy discussion
the evening passed rapidly。 The dream of Ethel's life had been this visit to
the home of her family； and to go as its savior was a consummation of the
pleasure that filled her with loving pride。 She could not sleep for her
waking dreams。 She made all sorts of resolutions about the despised
Tyrrel… Rawdons。 She intended to show the proud； indolent world of the
English land… aristocracy that Americans； just as well born as themselves；
respected business energy and enterprise； and she had other plans and
propositions just as interesting and as full of youth's impossible
enthusiasm。
In the morning she went to talk the subject over with her grandmother。
The old lady received the news with affected indif… ference。 She said； 〃It
mattered nothing to her who sat in Rawdon's seat； but she would not hear
Mostyn blamed for seeking his right。 Money and sentiment are no kin；〃
she added； 〃and Fred has no sentiment about Rawdon。 Why should he？
Only last summer Rawdon kept him out of Parliament； and made him
spend a lot of money beside。 He's right to get even with the family if he
can。〃
〃But the old Squire！ He is now〃
〃I know； he's older than I am。 But Squire Percival has had his day； and
Fred would not do anything out of the way to himhe could not； the
county would make both Mostyn and Rawdon very uncomfortable places
to live in； if he did。〃
〃If you turn a man out of his home when he is eighty years old； I think
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that is ‘out of the way。' And Mr。 Mostyn is not to be trusted。 I wouldn't
trust him as far as I could see him。〃
〃Highty…tighty！ He has not asked you to trust him。 You lost your
chance there； miss。〃
〃Grandmother； I am astonished at you！〃
〃Well； it was a mean thing to say； Ethel； but I like Fred； and I see the
rest of my family are against him。 It's natural for Yorkshire to help the
weakest side。 But there； Fred can do his own fighting； I'll warrant。 He's not
an ordinary man。〃
〃I'm sorry to say he isn't； grandmother。 If he were he would speak
without a drawl； and get rid of his monocle； and not pay such minute
attention to his coats and vests and walking sticks。〃
Then Ethel proceeded to explain her resolves with regard to the Tyrrel…
Rawdons。 〃I shall pay them the greatest attention；〃 she said。 〃It was a
noble thing in young Tyrrel…Rawdon to give up everything for honorable
love； and I think everyone ought to have stood by him。〃
〃That wouldn't have done at all。 If Tyrrel had been petted as you think
he ought to have been； every respectable young man and woman in the
county would have married where their fancy led them； and the fancies of
young people mostly lead them to the road it is ruin to take。〃
〃From what Fred Mostyn says； Tyrrel's descendants seem to have
taken a very respectable road。〃
〃I've nothing to say for or against them。 It's years and years since I laid
eyes on any of the family。 Your grandfather helped one of the young men
to come to America； and I remember his mother getting into a passion
about it。 She was a fat woman in a Paisley shawl and a love…bird on her
bonnet。 I saw his sister often。 She weighed about twelve stone； and had red
hair and red cheeks and bare red elbows。 She was called a ‘strapping lass。'
That is quite a complimentary term in the West Riding。〃
〃Please； grandmother； I don't want to hear any more。 In two weeks I
shall be able to judge for myself。 Since then there have been two
generations； and if a member of the present one is fit for Parliament〃
〃That's nothing。 We needn't look for anything specially refined in
Parliament in these days。 There's another thing。 These Tyrrel…Rawdons are
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chapel people。 The rector of Rawdon church would not marry Tyrrel to his
low…born love； and so they went to the Methodist preacher； and after that
to the Methodist chapel。 That put them down； more than you can imagine
here in America。〃
〃It was a shame！ Methodists are most respectable people。〃
〃I'm saying nothing contrary。〃
〃The President is a Methodist。〃
〃I never asked what he was。 I am a Church of England woman； you
know that。 Born and bred in the Church； baptized； confirmed； and married
in the Church； and I was always taught it was the only proper Church for
gentlemen and gentlewomen to be saved in。 However； English Methodists
often go back to the Church when they get rich。〃
〃Church or chapel makes no difference to me； grandmother。 If people
are only good。〃
〃To be sure； but you won't be long in England until you'll find out that
some things make a great deal of difference。 Do you know your father was
here this morning？ He wanted me to go with youa likely； thing。〃
〃But； grandmother； do come。 We will take such good care of you； and…
…〃
〃I know； but I'd rather keep my old memories of Yorkshire than get
new…fashioned ones。 All is changed。 I can tell that by what Fred says。 My
three great friends are dead。 They have left children and grandchildren； of
course； but I don't want to make new acquaintances at my age； unless I
have the picking of them。 No； I shall get Miss Hillis to go with me to my
little cabin on the Jersey coast。 We'll take our knitting and the fresh novels；
and I'll warrant we'll see as much of the new men and women in them as
will more than satisfy us。 But you must write me long letters； and tell me
everything about the Squire and the way he keeps house； and I don't care if
you fill up the paper with the Tyrrel…Rawdons。〃