sacred promise. There must be no question of trying to shirk or
burke it. Remember that I am quite outrageously rich. I have no
children of my own, and no very near relatives, (and my distant
ones are intensely disagreeable), and I can't help looking upon the
heir of the Blanchemains as a kind of spiritual son. In your
position there's no such thing as having too much money. Take all
that comes, and never mind the quarter whence. They're Plymouth
Brethren, and send me tracts.

"Good-bye now till August, if not before. For of course in August
you must come to me at Fring. Will you bring your bride? When and
where the wedding? I suppose they'll want it in Austria. Beware of
long engagements--or of too short ones. The autumn's the time,--the
only pretty ring-time. You see, you'll need some months for the
preparation of your trousseau. I love a man to be smart. Well,
good-bye. I was so sorry about that child's illness, but thankful
to hear she was mending.

"Yours affectionately,

"LINDA BLANCHEMAIN."

And his registered letter, when at last he opened it, ran thus:--

"DEAR SIR:--Pursuant to instructions received from our client Lady
Blanchemain, we beg to hand you herewith our cheque for Seven
hundred and fifty pounds (L750 stg.), and to request the favour of
your receipt for the same, together with the address of your
bankers, that we may pay in quarterly a like sum to your account,
it being her ladyship's intention, immediately upon her return to
England, to effect a settlement upon yourself and heirs of L100,000
funded in Bk. of Eng. stock.

"We are further to have the pleasure to inform you that by the
terms of a will just prepared by us, and to be executed by Lady
Blanchemain at the earliest possible date, you are constituted her
residuary legatee.

"With compliments and respectful congratulations,

"We have the honour, dear Sir, to be,

"Your obedient servants,

"FARROW, BERNSCOT, AND TISDALE."

And then there came another tap at the door, and it was the postman who
had returned, with a third letter which, like the true Italian postman
that he was, he had forgotten,--and I fancy, if it hadn't been for that
tip still warm in his pocket, the easy-going fellow would have allowed
it to stand over till to-morrow. He made, at any rate, a great vi