and tigers don't as a rule inhabit the great deep."

"Oh, no; but sharks do," says she, with a visible shudder. "No, no, on
the whole I had rather trust him to the beasts of the field. He could
run away from them, but you can't run in the sea."

"True," says Mr. Monkton, with exemplary gravity. "I couldn't, at all
events."

* * * * *

Monkton had to run across to London about the extraordinary legacy left
to his wife and Joyce. But further investigation proved the story true.
The money was, indeed, there, and they were the only heirs. From being
distinctly poor they rose to the height of a very respectable income,
and Monkton being in town, where the old Monktons still were, also was
commanded by his wife to go to them and pay off their largest
liabilities--debts contracted by the dead son, and to so arrange that
they should not be at the necessity of leaving themselves houseless.

The Manchester people who had taken the old place in Warwickshire were
now informed that they could not have it beyond the term agreed on; but
about this the old people had something to say, too. They would not take
back the family place. They had but one son now, and the sooner he went
to live there the better. Lady Monkton, completely, broken down and
melted by Barbara's generosity, went so far as to send her a long
letter, telling her it would be the dearest wish of her and Sir George's
hearts that she should preside as mistress over the beautiful old
homestead, and that it would give them great happiness to imagine, the
children--the grandchildren--running riot through the big wainscoted
rooms. Barbara was not to wait for her--Lady Monkton's--death to take up
her position as head of the house. She was to go to Warwickshire at
once, the moment those detestable Manchester people were out of it; and
Lady Monkton, if Barbara would be so good as to make her welcome, would
like to come to her for three months every year, to see the children,
and her son, and her daughter! The last was the crowning touch. For the
rest, Barbara was not to hesitate about accepting the Warwickshire
place, as Lady Monkton and Sir George were devoted to town life, and
never felt quite well when away from smoky London.

This last was true. As a fact, the old people were thoroughly imbued
with the desire for the turmoil of city life, and the three months of
country Lady Monkton had stipulated for were quite as much as they
desired