t of his last
seizure. Nobody knew, except the Curate and the lawyer, what the cause
of that seizure was. They exchanged looks without being aware of it, and
Wodehouse, still more deeply conscious, uttered, poor wretch! a kind of
gasp, which sounded like a laugh to the other horrified spectators.
After all, it was his crime which had brought him his good fortune,
for there had been an early will relating to property which existed
no longer--property which had been altogether absorbed in the
newly-acquired estate. "I have no doubt my late excellent partner would
have made a settlement had the time been permitted him," said Mr Waters.
"I have not the slightest doubt as to his intentions; but the end was
very unexpected at the last. I suppose death always is unexpected when
it comes," said the lawyer, with a little solemnity, recollecting that
three of his auditors were clergymen. "The result is painful in many
respects; but law is law, and such accidents cannot be entirely avoided.
With the exception of a few trifling personal matters, and the
furniture, and a little money at the bank, there is nothing but freehold
property, and of course the son takes that. I can have no possible
objection to your consulting Mr Brown; but Mr Brown can give you no
further information." If there had been any little hope of possible
redress lingering in the mind of the perplexed assembly, this brought it
to a conclusion. The heir, who had been keeping behind with an impulse
of natural shame, came back to the table when his rights were so clearly
established. He did not know how to behave himself with a good grace,
but he was disposed to be conciliatory, as far as he could, especially
as it began to be disagreeably apparent that the possession of his
father's property might not make any particular difference in the
world's opinion of himself.

"It aint my fault, gentlemen," said Wodehouse. "Of course, I expected
the governor to take care of the girls. I've been kept out of it for
twenty years, and that's a long time. By Jove! I've never known what
it was to be a rich man's son since I was a lad. I don't say I won't
do something for the girls if they behave to me as they ought; and as
for you, gentlemen, who were friends of the family, I'll always be
glad to see you in my house," he said, with an attempt at a friendly
smile. But nobody took any notice of the overtures of the new heir.

"Then they have nothing to depend upon," said Mr Proctor