ll be, I know, before very long. I have ample means in
the bank here to meet all expenses, and will give you full power to act
for me. You will understand now why I did not wish Horace to be a
minister. I think godly laymen are as much needed as godly clergymen;
and, as he in God's providence inherits an important property, I have a
strong impression that he will be more free to do his duty to his
tenantry and his estate as a Christian country squire, than he would be
if he had taken upon himself the charge of a special sphere or parish at
home or abroad. And my earnest wish and prayer is that he may soon, by
his conduct as a Christian landlord, blot out altogether the memory of
his unworthy father.'

"I stopped him here and told him that he was nobly redeeming the past,
so far as it was possible for man to do so, and that I would gladly
carry out what he desired. This seemed to make him quite happy; and his
one great wish now was to see his son once more, and this was granted to
him. Horace returned to comfort him in his dying hours, and to receive
his blessing, with his expressed wish that he should accompany me to
England, whither I was going on his account to settle some matters of
business for him. He said nothing further to his son, having already
expressed his wish to me that I should first set the Riverton estate in
thorough order, according to my own views of what was right--with one
special injunction, that I should do everything that might be in my
power to recompense John Price and his family for the loss they had
suffered on his account.

"So, after my poor friend's departure to his better inheritance, we have
come over here to carry out his wishes and instructions; and you have
seen, and can now see, the results. My dear nephew has been kept in
ignorance of his real name and prospects till yesterday, when I laid the
whole matter before him; and it is by his father's earnest dying request
that I have given you this full and minute history. To-day Horace
Walters is of full age, and to-day I surrender up all to him.

"I would just add a word or two more. I have gone so fully into my
story, not only because Mr Walters urged me to do so, but still more
for two special reasons: first, because I know that rumour and fancy
would be sure to put their heads together and circulate all sorts of
foolish stories about your late squire, and about his dear son, your
present squire, and some of these stories pr