"PROBABLE SONS" BY AMY LEFEUVRE AUTHOR OF "CHERRY," "THE ODD ONE," ETC. "_A little child shall lead them_." 1896 [Illustration: The Broken Statue.] CONTENTS. CHAPTER I. AN UNWELCOME LEGACY CHAPTER II. DAVID AND GOLIATH CHAPTER III. THE FIRST PUNISHMENT CHAPTER IV. MRS. MAXWELL'S SORROW CHAPTER V. A PRODIGAL CHAPTER VI. A PROMISE KEPT CHAPTER VII. CROSS-EXAMINATION CHAPTER VIII. "HE AROSE AND CAME TO HIS FATHER" CHAPTER IX. "A LITTLE CHILD SHALL LEAD THEM" "PROBABLE SONS." * * * * * CHAPTER I. AN UNWELCOME LEGACY. "Children! They are a nuisance to everyone--my abomination, as you know, Jack. Why on earth they can not be kept out of sight altogether till they reach a sensible age is what puzzles me! And I suppose if anything could make the matter worse, it is that this is a girl." The tone of disgust with which the last word was uttered brought a laugh from Sir Edward Wentworth's companion, who replied, as he took his cigar from his mouth and gazed critically into the worried, perplexed face of his host-- "My dear fellow, she is not of an age yet to trouble you much. Wait till she gets a bit older. When her education is finished, and she takes possession of you and your house, will be the time for you to look to us for pity!" "Look here, Sir Edward," said a bright looking youth from the other side of the room, "I'll give you a bit of advice. Send the child straight off to school. Is she coming to-day? Good. Then pack her off to-morrow, and keep her there as long as is needful. Then I will go down and inspect her, and if she grows up to be a moderately decent-looking girl, I will do you a good turn by taking her off your hands. She will have a nice little fortune, you informed us, and if you will give her something in addition, out of gratitude to me for relieving you of all responsibility concerning her, upon my word I think I should not do badly!" But Sir Edward was not in a mood to joke. He looked gloomily around upon his friends as they gathered around the smoking-room fire after a hard day's shooting, and remarked--