"  Now,  it  would  be  as  well,"  said  Mr.  Kennyfeck,  drawing  a  long
breath,  and  as  it  were  preparing  himself  for  a  great  effort,  "  to  put  a
little  order  into  our  affairs.  Your  first  year  or  two  will  be  costly  ones,
building  expenses,  equipage,  horses,  furniture,  election  charges.  Much
of  your  capital  is  vested  in  foreign  securities,  which  it  would  be  injurious
to  sell  at  this  moment — don't  you  think — "  here  he  changed  his  voice
to  an  almost  insinuating  softness,  *'  don't  you  think  that  by  devoting  a
certain  portion  of  your  income —  say  a  third,  or  one-half,  perhaps — for
the  present,  to  meet  these  charges — "  he  paused,  for  he  saw  from  Cashel's
occupied  look  that  he  was  not  attending  to  his  words.
*•'  Well,  continue,"   said  Roland,  affecting  to  wait  for  his  conclusion.
"  I  was  about  to  ask,  sir,"  said  Kennyfeck,  boldly,  "  what  sum  would
you  deem  sufficient  for  your  yearly  expenditure?"

"  What  is  the  amount  of  my  income  ?"  asked  Cashel,  bluntly.
"  In  good  years,  something  above  sixteen  thousand  pounds  ;  in  bad
ones,  somewhat  less  than  twelve."


ROLAND  CASHEL.  181

"  Well  then — you  have  the  scale  of  my  expenditure  at  once."

*'  Not  your  whole  Income?''  exclaimed  Kennyfeck,  astonished.
