both promised to send her
separate telegrams after the reading.

At five minutes to eleven we entered Mr. Trent's office. Father would
not go a moment earlier, as he said it was bad form to seem eager at any
time, but most of all at the reading of a will. It was a rotten grind,
for we had to be walking all over the neighbourhood for half an hour
before it was time, not to be too early.

When we went into the room we found there General Sir Colin MacKelpie and
a big man, very bronzed, whom I took to be Rupert St. Leger--not a very
creditable connection to look at, I thought! He and old MacKelpie took
care to be in time! Rather low, I thought it. Mr. St. Leger was reading
a letter. He had evidently come in but lately, for though he seemed to
be eager about it, he was only at the first page, and I could see that
there were many sheets. He did not look up when we came in, or till he
had finished the letter; and you may be sure that neither I nor my father
(who, as Head of the House, should have had more respect from him) took
the trouble to go to him. After all, he is a pauper and a wastrel, and
he has not the honour of bearing our Name. The General, however, came
forward and greeted us both cordially. He evidently had forgotten--or
pretended to have--the discourteous way he once treated me, for he spoke
to me quite in a friendly way--I thought more warmly than he did to
father. I was pleased to be spoken to so nicely, for, after all,
whatever his manners may be, he is a distinguished man--has won the V.C.
and a Baronetcy. He got the latter not long ago, after the Frontier War
in India. I was not, however, led away into cordiality myself. I had
not forgotten his rudeness, and I thought that he might be sucking up to
me. I knew that when I had my dear Uncle Roger's many millions I should
be a rather important person; and, of course, he knew it too. So I got
even with him for his former impudence. When he held out his hand I put
one finger in it, and said, "How do?" He got very red and turned away.
Father and he had ended by glaring at each other, so neither of us was
sorry to be done with him. All the time Mr. St. Leger did not seem to
see or hear anything, but went on reading his letter. I thought the old
MacSkelpie was going to bring him into the matter between us, for as he
turned away I heard him say something under his breath. It sounded like
"Help!" but Mr. S--- did not hear. He certainly no notic