of a mistress of whom he had
grown weary, he presented a tract of our country to some 'nobleman' on
condition that he would marry the female. Vast estates were also
bestowed upon the remote ancestors of the present holders in return for
real or alleged services. Listen to this,' he continued as he took a
small newspaper cutting from his pocket-book.

Crass looked at the piece of paper dolefully. It reminded him of the
one he had in his own pocket, which he was beginning to fear that he
would not have an opportunity of producing today after all.

'Ballcartridge Rent Dat.

'The hundredth anniversary of the Battle of Ballcartridge occurred
yesterday and in accordance with custom the Duke of Ballcartridge
handed to the authorities the little flag which he annually presents to
the State in virtue of his tenure of the vast tract of this country
which was presented to one of his ancestors--the first Duke--in
addition to his salary, for his services at the battle of Ballcartridge.

'The flag--which is the only rent the Duke has to pay for the great
estate which brings him in several hundreds of thousands of pounds per
annum--is a small tricoloured one with a staff surmounted by an eagle.

'The Duke of Blankmind also presents the State with a little coloured
silk flag every year in return for being allowed to retain possession
of that part of England which was presented--in addition to his
salary--to one of His Grace's very remote ancestors, for his services
at the battle of Commissariat--in the Netherlands.

'The Duke of Southward is another instance,' continued Owen. 'He
"owns" miles of the country we speak of as "ours". Much of his part
consists of confiscated monastery lands which were stolen from the
owners by King Henry VIII and presented to the ancestors of the present
Duke.

'Whether it was right or wrong that these parts of our country should
ever have been given to those people--the question whether those
ancestor persons were really deserving cases or not--is a thing we need
not trouble ourselves about now. But the present holders are certainly
not deserving people. They do not even take the trouble to pretend
they are. They have done nothing and they do nothing to justify their
possession of these "estates" as they call them. And in my opinion no
man who is in his right mind can really think it's just that these
people should be allowed to prey upon their fellow men as they are
doing now. Or that it