Wilfred accompanied his two friends to lunch with his sister, and after that social meal a great confabulation ensued upon matters of business. Mr. Merivale informed Wilfred that, immediately he had received the news of his discovery, he had telegraphed to all the tenants to pay their rents in future to him instead of to Mr. Potts; and he told him that, as he was the undoubted owner of Holmcastle, it would probably be unnecessary for him to serve a notice to quit upon his cousin, who would most likely be glad enough to evacuate the place quietly, and that the more so, since the neighbouring gentry had so entirely ignored the existence of himself and family that they were thoroughly disgusted with the place. Mr. Tresham Potts had not executed his threat to make a grand clearance amongst the trees at Holmcastle, for the eminent landscape-gardener, whose services he had called in, had refused to have anything to do with the affair if that was insisted on. Potts had, indeed, done one good thing for the property. It had been discovered that coal of fine quality underlay the outlying farms near Ormskirk, in the farther part of the county, and negotiations were even then in progress to lease the mineral wealth of the soil to a company on advantageous terms. Mr. Merivale had already written to the company to stay the execution of the lease until the real owner’s pleasure was known, and he ended his narrative by congratulating Wilfred on the prospect of his becoming a very rich man, and by proposing to write a cheque for any sum which, under his altered circumstances, he might require for present and future use. CHAPTER XXVIII. COMING OF AGE.