RUPERT SENT LEGER.

ERNEST ROGER HALBARD MELTON'S RECORD--_Continued_.

And now _re_ the remaining one of Sir Geoffrey's children, Roger. He was
the third child and third son, the only daughter, Patience, having been
born twenty years after the last of the four sons. Concerning Roger, I
shall put down all I have heard of him from my father and grandfather.
From my grand-aunt I heard nothing, I was a very small kid when she died;
but I remember seeing her, but only once. A very tall, handsome woman of
a little over thirty, with very dark hair and light-coloured eyes. I
think they were either grey or blue, but I can't remember which. She
looked very proud and haughty, but I am bound to say that she was very
nice to me. I remember feeling very jealous of Rupert because his mother
looked so distinguished. Rupert was eight years older than me, and I was
afraid he would beat me if I said anything he did not like. So I was
silent except when I forgot to be, and Rupert said very unkindly, and I
think very unfairly, that I was "A sulky little beast." I haven't forgot
that, and I don't mean to. However, it doesn't matter much what he said
or thought. There he is--if he is at all--where no one can find him,
with no money or nothing, for what little he had he settled when he came
of age, on the MacSkelpie. He wanted to give it to her when his mother
died, but father, who was a trustee, refused; and Uncle Roger, as I call
him, who is another, thought the trustees had no power to allow Rupert to
throw away his matrimony, as I called it, making a joke to father when he
called it patrimony. Old Sir Colin MacSkelpie, who is the third, said he
couldn't take any part in such a permission, as the MacSkelpie was his
niece. He is a rude old man, that. I remember when, not remembering his
relationship, I spoke of the MacSkelpie, he caught me a clip on the ear
that sent me across the room. His Scotch is very broad. I can hear him
say, "Hae some attempt at even Soothern manners, and dinna misca' yer
betters, ye young puddock, or I'll wring yer snoot!" Father was, I could
see, very much offended, but he didn't say anything. He remembered, I
think, that the General is a V.C. man, and was fond of fighting duels.
But to show that the fault was not his, _he_ wrung _my_ ear--and the same
ear too! I suppose he thought that was justice! But it's only right to
say that h