admirably did he spend it, that Francis Wade became at last
alarmed at the frequent drafts, and urged his nephew to bring his
affairs to a final settlement. Richard Devine--in Paris, Hamburg, or
London, or elsewhere--could never be got to attack business, and Mr.
Francis Wade grew more and more anxious. The poor gentleman
positively became ill through the anxiety consequent upon his nephew's
dissipations. "I wish, my dear Richard, that you would let me know what
to do," he wrote. "I wish, my dear uncle, that you would do what you
think best," was his nephew's reply.

"Will you let Purkiss and Quaid look into the business?" said the
badgered Francis.

"I hate lawyers," said Richard. "Do what you think right."

Mr. Wade began to repent of his too easy taking of matters in the
beginning. Not that he had a suspicion of Rex, but that he had
remembered that Dick was always a loose fish. The even current of the
dilettante's life became disturbed. He grew pale and hollow-eyed. His
digestion was impaired. He ceased to take the interest in china which
the importance of that article demanded. In a word, he grew despondent
as to his fitness for his mission in life. Lady Ellinor saw a change in
her brother. He became morose, peevish, excitable. She went privately
to the family doctor, who shrugged his shoulders. "There is no danger,"
said he, "if he is kept quiet; keep him quiet, and he will live for
years; but his father died of heart disease, you know." Lady Ellinor,
upon this, wrote a long letter to Mr. Richard, who was at Paris,
repeated the doctor's opinions, and begged him to come over at once.
Mr. Richard replied that some horse-racing matter of great importance
occupied his attention, but that he would be at his rooms in Clarges
Street (he had long ago established a town house) on the 14th, and would
"go into matters". "I have lost a good deal of money lately, my dear
mother," said Mr. Richard, "and the present will be a good opportunity
to make a final settlement." The fact was that John Rex, now three years
in undisturbed possession, considered that the moment had arrived for
the execution of his grand coup--the carrying off at one swoop of the
whole of the fortune he had gambled for.

CHAPTER III. EXTRACTED FROM THE DIARY OF THE REV. JAMES NORTH.

May 12th--landed to-day at Norfolk Island, and have been introduced to
my new abode, situated some eleven hundred miles from Sydney. A solitary
rock in the tropi