red
dollars of which I spoke to you are the last of your inheritance. You are
not indebted to me for it. It is rightfully yours."

"What is my uncle's name?"

"Stephen Ray. He lives a few miles from Elmira on the Erie Road."

"And is he quite rich?"

"Yes; he is probably worth a quarter of a million dollars. It is money
which should have gone to your father."

"Then the wicked are sometimes prospered in this world?"

"Yes, but this world is not all."

"Has there been any communication with my cousin in all these years?"

"Yes; two years ago I wrote to him."

"What did you write?"

"You must forgive me, Ernest, but I saw you growing up without education,
and I felt that you should have advantages which I could not give you. I
wrote to your cousin, asking if he would pay your expenses in a
preparatory school and afterwards at college."

"What did he reply?"

"Go to the trunk. You will find his letter there. It is in the tray, and
addressed to me."

Ernest found it readily.

"May I read it?" he asked.

"Yes, I wish you to do so."

It ran thus:

Peter Brant--Sir: I have received your letter making an appeal to me
in behalf of Ernest Ray, the son of my cousin. You wish me to educate
him. I must decline to do so. His father very much incensed my
revered uncle, and it is not right that any of his money should go to
him or his heirs. The son must reap the reward of the father's
disobedience. So far as I am personally concerned, I should not
object to doing something for the boy, but I am sure that my dead
uncle would not approve it. Besides, I have myself a son to whom I
propose to leave the estate intact.

It is my advice that you bring up the boy Ernest to some humble
employment, perhaps have him taught some trade by which he can earn
an honest living. It is not at all necessary that he should receive a
college education. You are living at the West. That is well. He is
favorably situated for a poor boy, and will have little difficulty in
earning a livelihood. I don't care to have him associate with my boy
Clarence. They are cousins, it is true, but their lots in life will
be very different.

I do not care to communicate with you again.

Stephen Ray.

Ernest read this letter with flushed cheeks.

"I hate that man!" he said hotly, "even if he is a relative. Peter, I am
sorry you ever applied to him in my beh