h Burke--the Sheikh Burrachee of to-day--was in trouble, and
lost his Indian appointment, he went to his brother, whom he had not met
since boyhood, and who welcomed him at first cordially. But Ralph,
possessed by the one idea of injury received from the Government,
engaged in seditious plots, and nearly involved his host in serious
trouble. The brothers quarrelled about it, and Ralph left in anger, and
never afterwards mentioned his brother's name.

Probably he did not know at present whether he was dead or alive. But
alive he was, though in failing health. He was the eldest of the
family, ten years senior to Ralph, and seventeen to his sister, Mrs
Forsyth. In spite of Ralph's story about Oliver Cromwell, the elder
brother had some land, though whether it was part of the original
estates, or had been acquired since, I know not. He had no tenants, but
farmed himself, and was therefore not shot at. The farming consisted
principally, however, in breeding horses, in which he was very
successful.

It was not that he realised such large profits, or grew rich rapidly,
but he always made more than he spent in the course of the year, and
invested the balance judiciously. And in twenty years hundreds grow to
thousands in that way.

Rather late in life Mr Burke had married a widow with a son, an only
child. He lost her early, and, having no children of his own, attached
himself to her boy for her sake, and made a will leaving him sole heir
to his property, after a legacy had been paid to his sister, Mrs
Forsyth, and a provision of 200 pounds a year made for Reginald
Kavanagh, an orphan cousin for whom Richard Burke had stood godfather,
and was now educating at his own expense, the boy spending all his
holidays with him in Ireland, and becoming a greater favourite with him
as time went on.

For his step-son, Stephen Philipson, had disappointed him grievously,
developing idle, dissipated, and extravagant habits as he grew into
manhood. Mr Burke bore with him for some years, hoping that he would
sow his wild oats and reform. But instead of this, he became worse and
worse, till at last it was evident that he would make the worst possible
use of any money which came to him.

And then Mr Burke had an accident in the hunting field, and, while he
lay between life and death, his step-son behaved and spoke in a
heartless and ungrateful manner, which was reported to him on his
unexpected recovery; and in his indignation he