d in Baslehurst that Mr. Bungall had not bequeathed his
undivided interest in the concern to his nephew. Indeed people went
so far as to say that he had left away from Mr. Tappitt all that he
could leave. The truth in that respect may as well be told at once.
His widow had possessed a third of the profits of the concern, in
lieu of her right to a full half share in the concern, which would
have carried with it the onus of a full half share of the work. That
third and those rights she had left to her nephew,--or rather to her
great-nephew, Luke Rowan. It was not, however, in this young man's
power to walk into the brewery and claim a seat there as a partner.
It was not in his power to do so, even if such should be his wish.
When old Mrs. Bungall died at Dawlish at the very advanced age of
ninety-seven, there came to be, as was natural, some little dispute
between Mr. Tappitt and his distant connection, Luke Rowan. Mr.
Tappitt suggested that Luke should take a thousand pounds down, and
walk forth free from all contamination of malt and hops. Luke's
attorney asked for ten thousand. Luke Rowan at the time was articled
to a lawyer in London, and as the dinginess of the chambers which he
frequented in Lincoln's Inn Fields appeared to him less attractive
than the beautiful rivers of Devonshire, he offered to go into the
brewery as a partner. It was at last settled that he should place
himself there as a clerk for twelve months, drawing a certain
moderate income out of the concern; and that if at the end of the
year he should show himself to be able, and feel himself to be
willing, to act as a partner, the firm should be changed to Tappitt
and Rowan, and he should be established permanently as a Baslehurst
brewer. Some information, however, beyond this has already been given
to the reader respecting Mr. Rowan's prospects. "I don't think he
ever will be a partner," Rachel had said to her mother, "because
he quarrels with Mr. Tappitt." She had been very accurate in her
statement. Mr. Rowan had now been three months at Baslehurst, and had
not altogether found the ways of his relative pleasant. Mr. Tappitt
wished to treat him as a clerk, whereas he wished to be treated as
a partner. And Mr. Tappitt had by no means found the ways of the
young man to be pleasant. Young Rowan was not idle, nor did he lack
intelligence; indeed he possessed more energy and cleverness than,
in Tappitt's opinion, were necessary to the position of a brewer