〃You　know　best　where　the　things　ought　to　be　put　in　your　own
  dressing…case；〃　he　said；　keeping　his　back　turned　on　Allan。　〃I'll
  m　ake　the　place　tidy　on　this　side　of　the　cabin；　and　you　shall
  make　the　place　tidy　on　the　other。〃
  He　began　setting　in　order　the　litter　scattered　about　him　on　the
  cabin　table　and　on　the　floor。　But　it　seemed　as　if　fate　had
  decided　that　his　friend's　personal　possessions　should　fall　into
  his　hands　that　morning；　employ　them　where　he　might。　One　among　the
  first　objects　which　he　took　up　was　Allan's　tobacco　jar；　with　the
  stopper　missing；　and　with　a　letter　（which　appeared　by　the　bulk　of
  it　to　contain　inclosures）　crumpled　into　the　mouth　of　the　jar　in
  the　stopper's　place。
  〃Did　you　know　that　you　had　put　this　here？〃　he　asked。　〃Is　the
  letter　of　any　importance？〃
  Allan　recognized　it　instantly。　It　was　the　first　of　the　little
  series　of　letters　which　had　followed　the　cruising　party　to　the
  Isle　of　Manthe　letter　which　young　Armadale　had　briefly　referred
  to　as　bringing　him　〃more　worries　from　those　everlasting　lawyers；〃
  and　had　then　dismissed　from　further　notice　as　recklessly　as
  usual。
  〃This　is　what　comes　of　being　particularly　careful；〃　said　Allan；
  〃here　is　an　instance　of　my　extreme　thoughtfulness。　You　may　not
  think　it　but　I　put　the　letter　there　on　purpose。　Every　time　I　went
  to　the　jar；　you　know；　I　was　sure　to　see　the　letter；　and　every
  time　I　saw　the　letter；　I　was　sure　to　say　to　myself；　'This　must　be
  answered。'　There's　nothing　to　laugh　at；　it　was　a　perfectly
  sensible　arrangement；　if　I　could　only　have　remembered　where　I　put
  the　jar。　Suppose　I　tie　a　knot　in　my　pocket…handkerchief　this
  time？　You　have　a　wonderful　memory；　my　dear　fellow。　Perhaps　you'll
  remind　me　in　the　course　of　the　day；　in　case　I　forget　the　knot
  next。〃
  Midwinter　saw　his　first　chance；　since　Mr。　Brock's　departure；　of
  usefully　filling　Mr。　Brock's　place。
  〃Here　is　your　writing…case；〃　he　said；　〃why　not　answer　the　letter
  at　once？　If　you　put　it　away　again；　you　may　forget　it　again。〃
  〃Very　true；〃　returned　Allan。　〃But　the　worst　of　it　is；　I　can't
  quite　make　up　my　mind　what　answer　to　write。　I　want　a　word　of
  advice。　Come　and　sit　down　here；　and　I'll　tell　you　all　about　it。〃
  With　his　loud　boyish　laughechoed　by　Midwinter；　who　caught　the
  infection　of　his　gayetyhe　swept　a　heap　of　miscellaneous
  incumbrances　off　the　cabin　sofa；　and　made　room　for　his　friend　and
  himself　to　take　their　places。　In　the　high　flow　of　youthful
  spirits；　the　two　sat　down　to　their　trifling　consultation　over　a
  letter　lost　in　a　tobacco　jar。　It　was　a　memorable　moment　to　both
  of　them；　lightly　as　they　thought　of　it　at　the　time。　Before　they
  had　risen　again　from　their　places；　they　had　taken　the　first
  irrevocable　step　together　on　the　dark　and　tortuous　road　of　their
  future　lives。
  Reduced　to　plain　facts；　the　question　on　which　Allan　now　required
  his　friend's　advice　may　be　stated　as　follows：
  While　the　various　arrangements　connected　with　the　succession　to
  Thorpe　Ambrose　were　in　progress　of　settlement；　and　while　the　new
  possessor　of　the　estate　was　still　in　London；　a　question　had
  necessarily　arisen　relating　to　the　person　who　should　be　appointed
  to　manage　the　property。　The　steward　employed　by　the　Blanchard
  family　had　written；　without　loss　of　time；　to　offer　his　services。
  Although　a　perfectly　competent　and　trustworthy　man；　he　failed　to
  find　favor　in　the　eyes　of　the　new　proprietor。　Acting；　as　usual；
  on　his　first　impulses；　and　resolved；　at　all　hazards；　to　install
  Midwinter　as　a　permanent　inmate　at　Thorpe　Ambrose；　Allan　had
  determined　that　the　steward's　place　was　the　place　exactly　fitted
  for　his　friend；　for　the　simple　reason　that　it　would　necessarily
  oblige　his　friend　to　live　with　him　on　the　estate。　He　had
  accordingly　written　to　decline　the　proposal　made　to　him　without
  consulting　Mr。　Brock；　whose　disapproval　he　had　good　reason　to
  fear；　and　without　telling　Midwinter；　who　would　probably　（if　a
  chance　were　allowed　him　of　choosing）　have　declined　taking　a
  situation　which　his　previous　training　had　by　no　means　fitted　him
  to　fill。
  Further　correspondence　had　followed　this　decision；　and　had　raised
  two　new　difficulties　which　looked　a　little　embarrassing　on　the
  face　of　them；　but　which　Allan；　with　the　assistance　of　his　lawyer；
  easily　contrived　to　solve。　The　first　difficulty；　of　examining　the
  outgoing　steward's　books；　was　settled　by　sending　a　professional
  accountant　to　Thorpe　Ambrose；　and　the　second　difficulty；　of
  putting　the　steward's　empty　cottage　to　some　profitable　use
  （Allan's　plans　for　his　friend　comprehending　Midwinter's　residence
  under　his　own　roof）；　was　met　by　placing　the　cottage　on　the　list
  of　an　active　house　agent　in　the　neighboring　county　town。　In　this
  state　the　arrangements　had　been　left　when　Allan　quitted　London。
  He　had　heard　and　thought　nothing　more　of　the　matter；　until　a
  letter　from　his　lawyers　had　followed　him　to　the　Isle　of　Man；
  inclosing　two　proposals　to　occupy　the　cottage；　both　received　on
  the　same　day；　and　requesting　to　hear；　at　his　earliest
  convenience；　which　of　the　two　he　was　prepared　to　accept。
  Finding　himself；　after　having　conveniently　forgotten　the　subject
  for　some　days　past；　placed　face　to　face　once　more　with　the
  necessity　for　decision；　Allan　now　put　the　two　proposals　into　his
  friend's　hands；　and；　after　a　rambling　explanation　of　the
  circumstances　of　the　case；　requested　to　be　favored　with　a　word　of
  advice。　Instead　of　examining　the　proposals；　Midwinter
  unceremoniously　put　them　aside；　and　asked　the　two　very　natural
  and　very　awkward　questions　of　who　the　new　steward　was　to　be；　and
  why　he　was　to　live　in　Allan's　house？
  〃I'll　tell　you　who；　and　I'll　tell　you　why；　when　we　get　to　Thorpe
  Ambrose；〃　said　Allan。　〃In　the　meantime　we'll　call　the　steward　X。
  Y。　Z。；　and　we'll　say　he　lives　with　me；　because　I'm　devilish
  sharp；　and　I　mean　to　keep　him　under　my　own　eye。　You　needn't　look
  surprised。　I　know　the　man　thoroughly　well；　he　requires　a　good
  deal　of　management。　If　I　offered　him　the　steward's　place
  beforehand；　his　modesty　would　get　in　his　way；　and　he　would　say
  'No。'　If　I　pitch　him　into　it　neck　and　crop；　without　a　word　of
  warning　and　with　nobody　at　hand　to　relieve　him　of　the　situation；
  he'll　have　nothing　for　it　but　to　consult　my　interests；　and　say
  'Yes。'　X。　Y。　Z。　is　not　at　all　a　bad　fellow；　I　can　tell　you。
  You'll　see　him　when　we　go　to　Thorpe　Ambrose；　and　I　rather　think
  you　and　he　will　get　on　uncommonly　well　together。〃
  The　humorous　twinkle　in　Allan's　eye；　the　sly　significance　in
  Allan's　voice；　would　have　betrayed　his　secret　to　a　prosperous
  man。　Midwinter　was　as　far　from　suspecting　it　as　the　carpenters
  who　were　at　work　above　them　on　the　deck　of　the　yacht。
  〃Is　there　no　steward　now　on　the　estate？〃　he　asked；　his　face
  showing　plainly　that　he　was　far　from　feeling　satisfied　with
  Allan's　answer。　〃Is　the　business　neglected　all　this　time？〃
  〃Nothing　of　the　sort！〃　returned　Allan。　〃The　business　is　going
  with　'a　wet　sheet　and　a　flowing　sea；　and　a　wind　that　follows
  free。'　I'm　not　joking；　I'm　only　metaphorical。　A　regular
  accountant　has　poked　his　nose　into　the　books；　and　a　steady…going
  lawyer's　clerk　attends　at　the　office　once　a　week。　That　doesn't
  look　like　neglect；　does　it？　Leave　the　new　steward　alone　for　the
  present；　and　just　tell　me　which　of　those　two　tenants　you　would
  take；　if　you　were　in　my　place。〃
  Midwinter　opened　the　proposals；　and　read　them　attentively。
  The　first　proposal　was　from　no　less　a　person　than　the　solicitor
  at　Thorpe　Ambrose；　who　had　first　informed　Allan　at　Paris　of　the
  large　fortune　that　had　fallen　into　his　hands。　This　gentleman
  wrote　personally　to　say　that　he　had　long　admired　the　cottage；
  which　was　charmingly　situated　within　the　limits　of　the　Thorpe
  Ambrose　grounds。　He　was　a　bachelor；　of　studious　habits；　desirous
  of　retiring　to　a　country　seclusion　after　the　wear　and　tear　of　his
  business　hours；　and　he　ventured　to　say　that　Mr。　Armadale；　in
  accepting　him　as　a　tenant；　might　count　on　securing　an　unobtrusive
  neighbor；　and　on　putting　the　cottage　into　responsible　and　careful
  hands。
  The　second　proposal　came　through　the　house　agent；　and　proceeded
  from　a　total　stranger。　The　tenant　who　offered　for　the　cottage；　in
  this　case；　was　a　retired　officer　in　the　armyone　Major　Milroy。
  His　family　merely　consisted　of　an　invalid　wife　and　an　only
  childa　young　lady。　His　references　were　unexceptionable；　and　he；
  too；　was　especially　anxious　to　secure　the　　cottage；　as　the　perfect
  qui　et　of　the　situation　was　exactly　what　was　required　by　Mrs。
  Milroy　in　her　feeble　state　of　health。
  〃Well；　which　profession　shall　I　favor？〃　asked　Allan。　〃The　army　or
  the　law？〃
  〃There　seems　to　me　to　be　no　doubt　about　it；〃　said　Midwinter。　〃The
  lawyer　has　been　already　in　correspondence　with　you；　and　the
  lawyer's　claim　is；　therefore；　the　claim　to　be　preferred。〃　〃I　knew
  you　would　say　that。　In　all　the　thousands　of　times　I　have　asked
  other　people　for　advice；　I　never　yet　got　the　advice　I　wanted。
  Here's　this　business　of　letting　the　cottage　as　an　instance。　I'm
  all　on　the　other　side　myself。　I　want　to　have　the　major。〃
  〃Why？〃
  Young　Armadale　laid　his　forefinger　on　that　part　of　the　agent's
  letter　which　enumerated　Major　Milroy's　family；　and　which
  contained　the　three　words〃a　young　lady。〃
  〃A　bachelor　of　studious　habits　walking　ab