"But here I am, and I think I’ve made a fool of myself in coming; for when I called at Wright and MacKellar’s they showed me a cable they had just received from the Cape. ’Halliday’s daughter inherits; letter this mail.’ The death of poor old uncle had of course been announced in the _Herald_, and that goes everywhere, and sure enough when the mail came in there was a letter from some lawyer fellows at Cape Town to say that their client, Mrs. Burtenshaw, née Sylvia Halliday, having seen the announcement of her father’s death, had made arrangements to return to Scotland to claim the estate I asked them why the ballachulish they hadn’t waited before they sent for me, and Wright said that if he had been aware that I had changed my domicile (law for left the country, I suppose) he would certainly have hesitated before putting me to the inconvenience (and expense, I put in) of making so long a voyage. I asked whether my expenses would come out of the estate, and he said that he was inclined to believe the trustees would not homologate any claim for my outgoings. I’m glad you were not a lawyer, after all. I was for starting back at once, but he wouldn’t hear of it: said I must wait to see whether Mrs. Burtenshaw could substantiate her claim; she might be an impostor, and since the estate is valued at over £100,000 it would be a pity to be out of the way if I turned out to be the heir after all. My cousin’s name is Sylvia right enough, and I’m convinced the claimant will prove her bona-fides, but I suppose I must kick my heels until she turns up. It’s twenty-five years or more since I saw her, and I shouldn’t know her from Lulu, so I can’t help to identify her. Altogether I’m very unhappy. Tell me how you’re getting on. I am wearying until I get back, and on thorns in case anything goes wrong. God bless you! "P.S.--Don’t forget that cabbages and cauliflowers must be transplanted _about five weeks_ after they are sown." ———— This was vexing enough, but when the next letter came, saying that Mrs. Burtenshaw was laid up with bronchitis and would be unable to travel for some time, John was thoroughly distressed. He knew how his father would hate hanging on indefinitely, with nothing to do, and no interests to keep him in St. Mungo’s city. Mr. Halliday, however, did not remain in Glasgow. He went to his old home in the south of England, instructing Wright and MacKellar to summon him by telegraph when the lady arrived.