hard's solicitors.
Colonel Wade, before his death had appointed his son, Mr. Francis Wade,
to act in his stead. When Mr. Quaid died, the firm of Purkiss and Quaid
(represented in the Quaid branch of it by a smart London-bred nephew)
declined further responsibility; and, with the consent of Lady Devine,
Francis Wade continued alone in his trust. Sir Richard's sister and her
husband, Anthony Frere, of Bristol, were long ago dead, and, as we know,
their representative, Maurice Frere, content at last in the lot that
fortune had sent him, had given up all thought of meddling with his
uncle's business. John Rex, therefore, in the person of the returned
Richard, had but two persons to satisfy, his putative uncle, Mr. Francis
Wade, and his putative mother, Lady Devine.

This he found to be the easiest task possible. Francis Wade was an
invalid virtuoso, who detested business, and whose ambition was to be
known as man of taste. The possessor of a small independent income, he
had resided at North End ever since his father's death, and had made the
place a miniature Strawberry Hill. When, at his sister's urgent wish, he
assumed the sole responsibility of the estate, he put all the floating
capital into 3 per cents., and was content to see the interest
accumulate. Lady Devine had never recovered the shock of the
circumstances attending Sir Richard's death and, clinging to the belief
in her son's existence, regarded herself as the mere guardian of his
interests, to be displaced at any moment by his sudden return. The
retired pair lived thus together, and spent in charity and bric-a-brac
about a fourth of their mutual income. By both of them the return of
the wanderer was hailed with delight. To Lady Devine it meant the
realization of a lifelong hope, become part of her nature. To Francis
Wade it meant relief from a responsibility which his simplicity always
secretly loathed, the responsibility of looking after another person's
money.

"I shall not think of interfering with the arrangements which you have
made, my dear uncle," said Mr. John Rex, on the first night of his
reception. "It would be most ungrateful of me to do so. My wants are
very few, and can easily be supplied. I will see your lawyers some day,
and settle it."

"See them at once, Richard; see them at once. I am no man of business,
you know, but I think you will find all right."

Richard, however, put off the visit from day to day. He desired to
have as little to d