have no objection?"

"None whatever; return my best thanks to Mr Douglas Campbell for his
kindness; and, Mr Bates, if you can possibly value by to-morrow or next
day, I should esteem it a favour."

"It shall be done, sir," replied Mr Bates, who then rose and took his
leave.

As soon as the valuation was finished, Mr Campbell was enabled to make
an estimate of what remained to them out of the property, and found that
the whole sum amounted to between seventeen and eighteen hundred pounds.

CHAPTER THREE.

ALFRED'S ADVICE.

It may appear strange that, after having been in possession of the
estate for ten years, and considering that he had younger children to
provide for, Mr Campbell had not laid up a larger sum; but this can be
fully explained.

As I before said, the estate was in very bad order when Mr Campbell
came into possession, and he devoted a large portion of the income to
improving it; and, secondly, he had expended a considerable sum in
building almshouses and schools, works which he would not delay, as he
considered them as religious obligations. The consequence was, that it
was not until a year before the claim was made to the estate that he had
commenced laying by for his younger children; and as the estate was then
worth 2,000 pounds per annum more than it was at the time that he came
into possession of it, he had resolved to put by 5,000 pounds per annum,
and had done so for twelve months. The enormous legal expenses had,
however, swallowed up this sum, and more, as we have already stated; and
thus he was left a poorer man by some hundreds than he was when the
property fell to him. The day after the valuation the eldest son,
Henry, made his appearance; he seemed much dejected, more so than his
parents, and those who knew him, would have supposed. It was, however,
ascribed to his feeling for his father and mother, rather than for
himself.

Many were the consultations held by Mr and Mrs Campbell as to their
future plans; but nothing at all feasible, or likely to prove
advantageous, suggested itself to them. With only sixteen or seventeen
hundred pounds, they scarcely knew where to go or how to act. Return to
his profession Mr Campbell knew that he could not, with any chance of
supporting his family. His eldest son, Henry, might obtain a situation,
but he was really fit for nothing but the bar or holy orders; and how
were they to support him till he could support himself? Alfred, who was