you."

"Well, the sooner we speak on anything of importance the better,
Finlayson. We know not what another day may bring forth," observed the
Earl.

He already spoke with some difficulty.

"Well, my lord, at all events I should like to know your wishes on the
subject," said the lawyer. "Your lordship knows that your father had an
elder brother."

"Yes," said the Earl, in a somewhat surprised tone.

"He was considerably older than your father," continued the lawyer. "He
was a somewhat wild and extravagant man. Your lordship may possibly
remember that he engaged in one of the unhappy outbreaks of those days."

"Yes, yes," said the Earl hastily. "I heard that he became a rebel
against his king and country."

"Well, my lord, you know many honourable men joined with him on that
occasion."

"I fancy that he was found guilty of high-treason, was he not?" said the
Earl.

"Yes," answered the lawyer. "An act of attainder was passed against
him, by which he lost both title and property. Had it not been for the
interest of your father, it would have been lost to the family
altogether; but, as he had always proved loyal, he was allowed to
inherit the property in the place of his brother, for your grandfather,
if you remember, was alive at the time."

"Yes; but of what consequence is that at the present day?" asked the
Earl.

"I am coming to that, my lord," said Mr Finlayson. "Your uncle, it
appeared, married and had a son and your father, who really loved his
brother, being at that time a bachelor, petitioned the Government, that
in case of his death without an heir, his elder brother's guiltless
child might succeed to the property, and regain the title of which his
father had been deprived."

"Ah!" said the Earl, "I was not aware of that; but had this relative of
mine (this cousin I suppose I should call him) a son?"

"That for a long time was a matter of doubt," said the lawyer. "It
appeared, however, that he, when a young man, inherited many of his
father's qualities, and was in all respects fully as wild and
unmanageable as he had been, and he very soon, in consequence, brought
himself within power of the law."

"I hope he never committed any act unworthy of a gentleman or of his
name and family," said the Earl, with more animation than he had
hitherto shown. "At least I trust one of the last scions of our race
brought no disgrace on it."

"No, my lord," said the lawyer, smiling; "he was only guil