ned backwards. When he had stood there an hour, he walked home to
Bond Street.

CHAPTER XVII.

RALPH NEWTON'S DOUBTS.

That month of August was a very sad time indeed for Ralph the heir.
With him all months were, we may say, idle months; but, as a rule,
August was of all the most idle. Sometimes he would affect to shoot
grouse, but hunting, not grouse-shooting, was his passion as a
sportsman. He would leave London, and spend perhaps a couple of days
with Mr. Horsball looking at the nags. Then he would run down to
some sea-side place, and flirt and laugh and waste his time upon the
sands. Or he would go abroad as far as Dieppe, or perhaps Biarritz,
and so would saunter through the end of the summer. It must not be
supposed of him that he was not fully conscious that this manner of
life was most pernicious. He knew it well, knew that it would take
him to the dogs, made faint resolves at improvement which he hardly
for an hour hoped to be able to keep,--and was in truth anything but
happy. This was his usual life;--and so for the last three or four
years had he contrived to get through this month of August. But now
the utmost sternness of business had come upon him. He was forced to
remain in town, found himself sitting day after day in his lawyer's
anteroom, was compelled to seek various interviews with Sir Thomas,
in which it was impossible that Sir Thomas should make himself very
pleasant; and,--worst of all,--was at last told that he must make up
his own mind!

Squire Newton was also up in London; and though London was never much
to his taste, he was in these days by no means so wretched as his
nephew. He was intent on a certain object, and he began to hope, nay
to think, that his object might be achieved. He had not once seen his
nephew, having declared his conviction very strongly that it would be
better for all parties that they should remain apart. His own lawyer
he saw frequently, and Ralph's lawyer once, and Sir Thomas more than
once or twice. There was considerable delay, but the Squire would
not leave London till something was, if not settled, at any rate
arranged, towards a settlement. And it was the expression of his will
conveyed through the two lawyers which kept Ralph in London. What was
the worth of Ralph's interest in the property? That was one great
question. Would Ralph sell that interest when the price was fixed?
That was the second question. Ralph, to whom the difficulty of giving
an an