likes to take his
time about such things. Dinner ready, is it? So am I. I quite forgot
that mutton chop of yours to-day, doctor. But I suppose a man may eat
a good dinner after a fight with a bull?"

The evening passed by without any very pleasurable excitement, and I
regret to say that the earl went fast to sleep in the drawing-room as
soon as he had swallowed his cup of coffee. During dinner he had been
very courteous to both his guests, but towards Eames he had used a
good-humoured and, almost affectionate familiarity. He had quizzed
him for having been found asleep under the tree, telling Crofts that
he had looked very forlorn,--"So that I haven't a doubt about his
being in love," said the earl. And he had asked Johnny to tell the
name of the fair one, bringing up the remnants of his half-forgotten
classicalities to bear out the joke. "If I am to take more of the
severe Falernian," said he, laying his hand on the decanter of port,
"I must know the lady's name. Whoever she be, I'm well sure you need
not blush for her. What! you refuse to tell! Then I'll drink no
more." And so the earl had walked out of the dining-room; but not
till he had perceived by his guest's cheeks that the joke had been
too true to be pleasant. As he went, however, he leaned with his hand
on Eames's shoulder, and the servants looking on saw that the young
man was to be a favourite. "He'll make him his heir," said Vickers.
"I shouldn't wonder a bit if he don't make him his heir." But to this
the footman objected, endeavouring to prove to Mr Vickers that, in
accordance with the law of the land, his lordship's second cousin,
once removed, whom the earl had never seen, but whom he was supposed
to hate, must be his heir. "A hearl can never choose his own heir,
like you or me," said the footman, laying down the law. "Can't he
though really, now? That's very hard on him; isn't it?" said the
pretty housemaid. "Psha," said Vickers: "you know nothing about it.
My lord could make young Eames his heir to-morrow; that is, the heir
of his property. He couldn't make him a hearl, because that must go
to the heirs of his body. As to his leaving him the place here, I
don't just know how that'd be; and I'm sure Richard don't."

"But suppose he hasn't got any heirs of his body?" asked the pretty
housemaid, who was rather fond of putting down Mr Vickers.

"He must have heirs of his body," said the butler. "Everybody has
'em. If a man don't know 'em himself, the