nd pounds for the purchase of a
West End practice, upon the understanding that I was to expect no more
from him, and that the bulk of his property, with the exception of a sum
left as provision for my mother, should be strictly entailed upon my
brother and his heirs, if he should marry. The arrangement was most just,
as I was then in receipt of a considerable income from my profession, and
my father died before my circumstances altered for the worse.
Independently of the provision he made for her, my mother possessed a
small jointure, a freehold estate in South Wales, bringing in, when the
house is let, about a hundred and fifty pounds a year. That was to have
been left to me as the younger son. But her trustees informed me, through
these solicitors, that she had changed her mind, as she had a perfect
right to do, and bequeathed everything she possessed to my brother's son,
a child who"--Saxham's voice was deadly cold--"may be about four years
old."

"A later will may have been found. If I have any influence with you,
Saxham, I would use it in urging you to reply to the advertisement."

Saxham agreed unwillingly: "Very well."

The other knew the point gained, and adroitly changed the conversation. It
grew severely technical, bristling with scientific terms, dealing chiefly
with food-values. The black cloud cleared from Saxham's forehead as he
lectured on the energy-fuels, and settled the minimum of protein, fat,
starch, and sugar necessary to keep the furnace of Life burning in the
human body.

Milk, that precious fluid, could henceforth only be given to invalids and
children. Margarine and jam were severely relegated to the list of
luxuries. Sardines, tinned salmon, and American canned goods had entirely
given out. And flour, the staff of life, was vanishing.

The joy of battle lightened in their faces as they talked, forging
weapons that should make men enduring, and Saxham warmed. His icy armour
of habitual silence melted and broke up. He became eloquent, pouring out
his treasured projects, suggesting substitutes for this, and makeshifts
for that and the other. He was in his element--he knew the ground he trod.
He thrust out his grim under-jaw, and hulked with his heavy shoulders as
he talked to this man who understood; and every supple movement of his
surgeon's hand pointed out some fresh expedient, as the singing bullets
went by or whit-whitted about them in the dust, and now and then a shell
burst over patien