"They are in the usual place, on your desk," answered the youth,
re-commencing his work. The Attorney moved away and entered his private
office, and seating himself in his old leathern chair, commenced in a
methodical way to open and peruse his letters.

Ralph Coleman commenced life with very fair prospects. He came of a good
old family and had received a University education, and studied for the
Bar very assiduously for three or four years, but on the death of his
father he came in for five thousand pounds. He then neglected his
profession, and, for a time, led a very fast life in London. When he had
run through about half of his money he went abroad, and while there
married a lady who had a tolerable fortune. They travelled together over
the European Continent, and for several years enjoyed what is termed
life.

An accident happened to Mrs. Coleman in Switzerland which resulted in
her death. Ralph being again alone in the world, as it were, entered
into all the wild dissipations of Vienna and Paris, which ended in his
ruin; and he returned to England with only a five pound note between him
and beggary. As the cousin and only male relative of Sir Jasper Coleman,
he was heir to the Baronetcy but not to the property. This was
unentailed, and at the will of the Baronet; but should he die intestate
the whole would fall to Ralph.

But the hope of succeeding to the estate banished, or was at least, to
a considerable extent, quashed, when he learned that Miss Effingham had
been adopted by her uncle, and that likewise he had made a protege of
the son of his old friend Eustace Carlton, and would no doubt eventually
make a will in their favor; but so far as he could learn, up to the
present time no will had been made. There was a degree of consolation in
this; but in the meantime he must live; he therefore resumed his
profession, and by energy, and the aid of his aristocratic friends,
succeeded in obtaining a tolerable practice.

He was on pretty good terms with his cousin, and usually went down to
Devonshire for a few days during the shooting season, and on more than
one occasion had Sir Jasper spoken to him of the future career of young
Arthur; but the lawyer generally managed to evade the subject by saying
there was plenty of time to think about that when the youngster should
leave College, and appeared to interest himself very little in the
matter, because he did not see in what way the youth's future career
could affect