d. He had not known before how dear to him
could be every bank, every tree, every sod. Yes;--now in very truth
he was lord and master of the property which had belonged to his
father, and his father's fathers before him. He would borrow money,
and save it during his lifetime. He would do anything rather than
part with an acre of it, now that the acres were his own to leave
behind him to his son.

On the following day Ralph arrived. We must no longer call him Ralph
who was not the heir. He would be heir to everything from the day
that the contract was completed! The Squire, though he longed to see
the young man as he had never longed before, would not go to the
station to meet the welcome one. His irrepressible joy was too great
to be exhibited before strangers. He remained at home, in his own
room, desiring that Mr. Ralph might come to him there. He would not
even show himself in the hall. And yet when Ralph entered the room he
was very calm. There was a bright light in his eyes, but at first he
spoke hardly a word. "So, you've managed that little job," he said,
as he took his son's hand.

"I managed nothing, sir," said Ralph, smiling.

"Didn't you? I thought you had managed a good deal. It is done,
anyway."

"Yes, sir, it's done. At least, I suppose so." Ralph, after sending
his telegram, had of course written to his father, giving him full
particulars of the manner in which the arrangement had been made.

"You don't mean that there is any doubt," said the Squire with almost
an anxious tone.

"Not at all, as far as I know. The lawyers seem to think that it is
all right. Ralph is quite in earnest."

"He must be in earnest," said the Squire.

"He has behaved uncommonly well," said the namesake. "So well that I
think you owe him much. We were quite mistaken in supposing that he
wanted to drive a sharp bargain." He himself had never so supposed,
but he found this to be the best way of speaking of that matter to
his father.

"I will forgive him everything now," said the Squire, "and will do
anything that I can to help him."

Ralph said many things in praise of his namesake. He still almost
regretted what had been done. At any rate he could see the pity
of it. It was that other Ralph who should have been looked to as
the future proprietor of Newton Priory, and not he, who was hardly
entitled to call himself a Newton. It would have been more consistent
with the English order of things that it should be so. And t