n me, who am
the natural heir. It is very thoughtless indeed of Rupert to keep away
like that. I wrote to old MacSkelpie about it, but he didn't seem to
understand or to be at all anxious--he is not the heir! He said that
probably Rupert Sent Leger--he, too, keeps to the old spelling--did not
know of his uncle's death, or he would have taken steps to relieve our
anxiety. Our anxiety, forsooth! We are not anxious; we only wish to
_know_. And if we--and especially me--who have all the annoyance of
thinking of the detestable and unfair death-duties, are anxious, we
should be so. Well, anyhow, he'll get a properly bitter disappointment
and set down when he does turn up and discovers that he is a pauper
without hope!

* * * * *

To-day we (father and I) had letters from Mr. Trent, telling us that the
whereabouts of "Mr. Rupert Sent Leger" had been discovered, and that a
letter disclosing the fact of poor Uncle Roger's death had been sent to
him. He was at Titicaca when last heard of. So goodness only knows when
he may get the letter, which "asks him to come home at once, but only
gives to him such information about the Will as has already been given to
every member of the testator's family." And that is nil. I dare say we
shall be kept waiting for months before we get hold of the estate which
is ours. It is too bad!

_Letter from Edward Bingham Trent to Ernest Roger Halbard Melton_.

176, LINCOLN'S INN FIELDS,
_December_ 28, 1906.

DEAR SIR,

I am glad to be able to inform you that I have just heard by letter
from Mr. Rupert St. Leger that he intended leaving Rio de Janeiro by
the S.S. _Amazon_, of the Royal Mail Company, on December 15. He
further stated that he would cable just before leaving Rio de
Janeiro, to say on what day the ship was expected to arrive in
London. As all the others possibly interested in the Will of the
late Roger Melton, and whose names are given to me in his
instructions regarding the reading of the Will, have been advised,
and have expressed their intention of being present at that event on
being apprised of the time and place, I now beg to inform you that by
cable message received the date scheduled for arrival at the Port of
London was January 1 prox. I therefore beg to notify you, subject to