The Project Gutenberg eBook, The Ayrshire Legatees, by John Galt

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Title: The Ayrshire Legatees

Author: John Galt

Release Date: August 4, 2008 [eBook #1384]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ISO-646-US (US-ASCII)

***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE AYRSHIRE LEGATEES***

Transcribed from the 1895 Macmillan and Co. edition by David Price, email
ccx074@pglaf.org

The Ayrshire Legatees

CHAPTER I--THE DEPARTURE

On New Year's day Dr. Pringle received a letter from India, informing him
that his cousin, Colonel Armour, had died at Hydrabad, and left him his
residuary legatee. The same post brought other letters on the same
subject from the agent of the deceased in London, by which it was evident
to the whole family that no time should be lost in looking after their
interests in the hands of such brief and abrupt correspondents. "To say
the least of it," as the Doctor himself sedately remarked, "considering
the greatness of the forth-coming property, Messieurs Richard Argent and
Company, of New Broad Street, might have given a notion as to the
particulars of the residue." It was therefore determined that, as soon
as the requisite arrangements could be made, the Doctor and Mrs. Pringle
should set out for the metropolis, to obtain a speedy settlement with the
agents, and, as Rachel had now, to use an expression of her mother's, "a
prospect before her," that she also should accompany them: Andrew, who
had just been called to the Bar, and who had come to the manse to spend a
few days after attaining that distinction, modestly suggested, that,
considering the various professional points which might be involved in
the objects of his father's journey, and considering also the retired
life which his father had led in the rural village of Garnock, it might
be of importance to have the advantage of legal advice.

Mrs. Pringle interrupted this harangue, by saying, "We see what you would
be at, Andrew; ye're just wanting to come with us, and on this occasion
I'm no for making step-bairns, so we'll a' gang thegither."

The Doctor had been for many years the incumbent of Garnock, which is
pleasantly situated between Irvine an