them up in a bundle again with the red tape. Holding the bundle
in his hand, he stood up, saying as he did so:

"That is all, gentlemen, unless any of you wish to ask me any questions;
in which case I shall answer, of course, to the best of my power. I
shall ask you, Sir Colin, to remain with me, as we have to deal with some
matters, or to arrange a time when we may meet to do so. And you also,
Mr. Sent Leger, as there is this letter to submit to you. It is
necessary that you should open it in the presence of the executors, but
there is no necessity that anyone else should be present."

The first to speak was my father. Of course, as a county gentleman of
position and estate, who is sometimes asked to take the chair at
Sessions--of course, when there is not anyone with a title present--he
found himself under the duty of expressing himself first. Old MacKelpie
has superior rank; but this was a family affair, in which my father is
Head of the House, whilst old MacKelpie is only an outsider brought into
it--and then only to the distaff side, by the wife of a younger brother
of the man who married into our family. Father spoke with the same look
on his face as when he asks important questions of witnesses at Quarter
Sessions.

"I should like some points elucidated." The attorney bowed (he gets his
120 thou', any way, so he can afford to be oily--suave, I suppose he
would call it); so father looked at a slip of paper in his hand and
asked:

"How much is the amount of the whole estate?"

The attorney answered quickly, and I thought rather rudely. He was red
in the face, and didn't bow this time; I suppose a man of his class
hasn't more than a very limited stock of manners:

"That, sir, I am not at liberty to tell you. And I may say that I would
not if I could."

"Is it a million?" said father again. He was angry this time, and even
redder than the old attorney. The attorney said in answer, very quietly
this time:

"Ah, that's cross-examining. Let me say, sir, that no one can know that
until the accountants to be appointed for the purpose have examined the
affairs of the testator up to date."

Mr. Rupert St. Leger, who was looking all this time angrier than even the
attorney or my father--though at what he had to be angry about I can't
imagine--struck his fist on the table and rose up as if to speak, but as
he caught sight of both old MacKelpie and the attorney he sat down again.
_Mem._--Those three see