postponement due to the non-arrival of the _Amazon_, the reading of
the Will of the late Roger Melton, Esq., will take place in my office
on Thursday, January 3 prox., at eleven o'clock a.m.

I have the honour to be, sir,
Yours faithfully,
EDWARD BINGHAM TRENT.

TO ERNEST ROGER HALBARD MELTON, ESQ.,
HUMCROFT,
SALOP.

Cable: _Rupert Sent Leger to Edward Bingham Trent_.
_Amazon_ arrives London January 1. SENT LEGER.

_Telegram_ (_per Lloyd's_): _Rupert Sent Leger to Edward Bingham Trent_.

THE LIZARD,
_December_ 31.

_Amazon_ arrives London to-morrow morning. All well.--LEGER.

_Telegram_: _Edward Bingham Trent to Ernest Roger Halbard Mellon_.

Rupert Sent Leger arrived. Reading Will takes place as
arranged.--TRENT.

ERNEST ROGER HALBARD MELTON'S RECORD.

_January_ 4, 1907.

The reading of Uncle Roger's Will is over. Father got a duplicate of Mr.
Trent's letter to me, and of the cable and two telegrams pasted into this
Record. We both waited patiently till the third--that is, we did not say
anything. The only impatient member of our family was my mother. She
_did_ say things, and if old Trent had been here his ears would have been
red. She said what ridiculous nonsense it was delaying the reading of
the Will, and keeping the Heir waiting for the arrival of an obscure
person who wasn't even a member of the family, inasmuch as he didn't bear
the name. I don't think it's quite respectful to one who is some day to
be Head of the House! I thought father was weakening in his patience
when he said: "True, my dear--true!" and got up and left the room. Some
time afterwards when I passed the library I heard him walking up and
down.

Father and I went up to town on the afternoon of Wednesday, January 2.
We stayed, of course, at Claridge's, where we always stay when we go to
town. Mother wanted to come, too, but father thought it better not. She
would not agree to stay at home till we