heir."

"Not his heir!" said Sir Lionel, with more of sharpness in his tone
than was at all usual with him; with a little sharpness also in his
eye, as George quickly observed. "Not his heir--who is his heir
then?"

"Ah, that I do not know. Some corporation, perhaps, or some hospital.
All I know is, that I am not. That he has told me quite plainly. And
he was very right to do so," added George, after a pause.

Sir Lionel repressed the exclamation of anger against his brother
which was in his heart, and had all but risen to his tongue. He had
not been wandering for thirty years on foreign missions for nothing.
He must find out more of this lad's disposition and feelings before
he spoke out plainly before him what he thought. He had intended
not only that his son should be the rich uncle's heir, but the rich
uncle's adopted child also; so that some portion of that vast wealth
might be made use of, certainly by George, perhaps even in some
modest degree by himself, without the unnecessary delay of waiting
for his brother's death. It would be bad enough to wait, seeing how
probable it was that that brother might outlive himself. But now to
be told not only that his hopes in this respect were vain, but that
the old miser had absolutely repudiated his connection with his
nephew! This was almost too much for his diplomatic equanimity.
Almost, I say; for in fact he did restrain himself.

"And did he say, George, in so many words that he meant to give you
nothing?"

"Yes, very plainly--in so many words. And I told him as plainly, and
in as many, that I wanted nothing from him."

"Was that prudent, my boy?"

"It was the truth, sir. But I must tell you the whole. He offered me
a loan of three thousand pounds--"

"Well, you took that?"

"Indeed, no. He offered it on the condition that I should be an
attorney."

"An attorney! and you with a double-first?"

"Ah, he does not much value double-firsts. Of course, I was not going
to make myself an attorney."

"Of course not. But what is he doing about an allowance for you?"

"He has been very liberal. He has given me a hundred and fifty a
year--"

"Yes; and sent me the bill of it--with great regularity."

The son did not remind the father that all regularity in the matter
had ended there, and that the bills so sent had never been paid; but
he could not help thinking that in justice he might do so.

"But that expense will soon be over, sir, as regards either you or