ing by which Little Christchurch shall have been left
to trustees; and if he goes on living at Sydney, let us say, on the
fat of the land,--drawing all the income, and leaving the trustees as
legal owners,--where should I be then?"

"In that case," said I, having taken two or three minutes for
consideration,--"in that case, I presume the property would be
confiscated by law, and would go to his natural heir. Now if his
natural heir be then your wife, it will be just the same as though
the property were yours." Young Grundle shook his head. "I don't know
what more you would want. At any rate, there is no more for you to
get." I confess that at that moment the idea of my boy's chance of
succeeding with the heiress did present itself to my mind. According
to what my wife had said, Jack would have jumped at the girl with
just what she stood up in; and had sworn to his mother, when he had
been told that morning about the kiss behind the door, that he would
knock that brute's head off his shoulders before many days were gone
by. Looking at the matter merely on behalf of Jack, it appeared to
me that Little Christchurch would, in that case, be quite safe, let
Crasweller be deposited,--or run away to Sydney.

"You do not know for certain about the confiscation of the property,"
said Abraham.

"I've told you as much, Mr Grundle, as it is fit that you should
know," I replied, with severity. "For the absolute condition of the
law you must look in the statute-book, and not come to the President
of the empire."

Abraham Grundle then departed. I had assumed an angry air, as though
I were offended with him, for troubling me on a matter by referring
simply to an individual. But he had in truth given rise to very
serious and solemn thoughts. Could it be that Crasweller, my own
confidential friend--the man to whom I had trusted the very secrets
of my soul on this important matter,--could it be that he should be
unwilling to be deposited when the day had come? Could it be that
he should be anxious to fly from his country and her laws, just as
the time had arrived when those laws might operate upon him for the
benefit of that country? I could not think that he was so vain, so
greedy, so selfish, and so unpatriotic. But this was not all. Should
he attempt to fly, could we prevent his flying? And if he did fly,
what step should we take next? The Government of New South Wales was
hostile to us on the very matter of the Fixed Period, and c