e for
Parliament would become a young man who was heir not only to the
Wharton estates, but to half his father's money.

Sir Alured in his letter expressed a hope that Everett might be
informed instantly. He would have written himself had he known
Everett's address. But he did know that his elder cousin was in town,
and he besought his elder cousin to come at once,--quite at once,--to
Wharton. Emily, he said, would of course accompany her father on such
an occasion. Then there were long letters from Mary Wharton, and even
from Lady Wharton, to Emily. The Whartons must have been very much
moved when Lady Wharton could be induced to write a long letter. The
Whartons were very much moved. They were in a state of enthusiasm
at these news, amounting almost to fury. It seemed as though they
thought that every tenant and labourer on the estate, and every
tenant and labourer's wife, would be in an abnormal condition and
unfit for the duties of life, till they should have seen Everett as
heir of the property. Lady Wharton went so far as to tell Emily which
bedroom was being prepared for Everett,--a bedroom very different in
honour from any by the occupation of which he had as yet been graced.
And there were twenty points as to new wills and new deeds as to
which the present baronet wanted the immediate advice of his cousin.
There were a score of things which could now be done which were
before impossible. Trees could be cut down, and buildings put up;
and a little bit of land sold, and a little bit of land bought;--the
doing of all which would give new life to Sir Alured. A life interest
in an estate is a much pleasanter thing when the heir is a friend
who can be walked about the property, than when he is an enemy who
must be kept at arm's length. All these delights could now be Sir
Alured's,--if the old heir would give him his counsel and the young
one his assistance.

This change in affairs occasioned some flutter also in Manchester
Square. It could not make much difference personally to old Mr.
Wharton. He was, in fact, as old as the baronet, and did not pay much
regard to his own chance of succession. But the position was one
which would suit his son admirably, and he was now on good terms with
his son. He had convinced himself that Lopez had done all that he
could to separate them, and therefore found himself to be more bound
to his son than ever. "We must go at once," he said to his daughter,
speaking almost as though h