'Earlshaugh is a fine properly, as we all know, uncle; but it was deuced hard for me, when I thought I had come into it, to find this stepmother--a person I can barely remember acting as my mother's amanuensis, factotum, and toady--constituted a species of guardian to me--to me, a captain in my twenty-seventh year, and to be told that I must for the time content me with my old allowance, as the pater had been--she said--rather extravagant, and so forth. I can't make it out.' 'Neither can I, nor any other fellow,' said the old General testily. 'I only know that your father made a very idiotic will, leaving all to that woman.' 'If he actually did so,' said Roland. 'No doubt about it--I heard it read.' 'But you are a little deaf, dear uncle.' 'D--n it, don't say that, Roland--I am fit for service yet!' 'Well, she has not interfered with my allowance as yet.' 'Allowance!' exclaimed Sir Harry, smiting the table with his hand; 'why the devil should you be restricted to one at all?' 'If--I am very ignorant in law, uncle--but if under this will she has the life-rent----' 'More than that, I tell you.' 'I can scarcely believe it; and she has not meddled with the allowance of dear little Maude.' 'She may cut off your sister's income and yours too at any moment, Roland!' 'Well, I suppose if the worst comes to the worst,' said the latter, with a kind of bitter laugh, while still hoping against hope, 'I shall have to send in my papers and volunteer as a trooper for one of these Cape corps in Bechuanaland or the Transvaal.' 'Oh, Roland, don't think of such things,' said Hester, as with tenderness in her eyes she looked up at him for a moment, and then resumed her work. 'Have you seen this stepmother of mine lately?' he asked. 'No--but she has invited me to Earlshaugh next month, not knowing, perhaps, that you would spend the first month of your leave--' 'With his old uncle,' said Sir Harry, as his eyes kindled, and he patted Roland's shoulder, adding, 'a good lad--a good lad--my own sister's son!' Uncle and nephew had much in common between them, even 'shop,' as they phrased it; and the regard they had for each other was mutual and keen. 'She writes to me seldom,' said Hester, 'for, of course, our tastes and ideas are somewhat apart; but, as papa says, when he sees her stiff note-paper, with the sham gentility of its gilt and crimson monogram, and strong fragrance of Essbouquet, he feels sure that, with all her manners, airs, and so forth, she cannot be a lady, though many a lady's companion, as she was to your mother, unhappily is.' Roland remained silent, sucking his cheroot viciously. 'Yes,' observed his uncle, 'her very notes in their pomposity speak of self-assertion.'