and earth to leave it, or a portion
of it, to his own son. Gregory had always taken his brother's part
before the Squire; and the Squire, much as he liked the parson, was
never slow in abusing the parson's brother. It would have been no
more than natural had the question of the property been, by tacit
agreement, always kept out of sight between the two young men. But
they had grown up from boyhood together as firm friends, and there
was no reticence between them on this all-important subject. The
Squire's son had never known his mother; and could therefore speak
of his own position as would hardly have been possible to him had
any memory of her form or person remained with him. And then, though
their interests were opposite, nothing that either could say would
much affect those interests.

The two men were sitting on the lawn at the Priory after dinner,
smoking cigars, and Ralph,--this other Ralph,--had just told the
parson of his intention of joining his father in London. "I don't see
that I can do any good," said Ralph, "but he wishes it, and of course
I shall go."

"You won't see my brother, I suppose?"

"I should think not. You know what my father's feelings are, and
I certainly shall not go out of my way to offend them. I have no
animosity against Ralph; but I could do no good by opposing my
father."

"No," said the parson, "not but what I wish it were otherwise. It is
a trouble to me that I cannot have Ralph here;--though perhaps he
would not care to come."

"I feel it hard too, that he should not be allowed to see a place
which, in a measure, belongs to him. I wish with all my heart that
my father did not think so much about the estate. Much as I love the
old place, I can hardly think about it without bitterness. Had my
father and your brother been on good terms together, there would
have been none of that. Nothing that he could do,--no success in his
efforts,--can make me be as I should have been had I been born his
heir. It is a misfortune, and of course one feels it; but I think I
should feel it less were he not so fixed in his purpose to undo what
can never be undone."

"He will never succeed," said Gregory.

"Probably not;--though, for that matter, I suppose Ralph will be
driven to raise money on his inheritance."

"He will never sell the property."

"It seems that he does spend money faster than he can get it."

"He may have done so."

"Is he not always in debt to you yourself? Is he not no