Of all his well-to-do friends, perhaps he who really liked him best was the Earl of Altringham. George Hotspur was at this time something under thirty years of age, and the Earl was four years his senior. The Earl was a married man, with a family, a wife who also liked poor George, an enormous income, and a place in Scotland at which George always spent the three first weeks of grouse-shooting. The Earl was a kindly, good-humoured, liberal, but yet hard man of the world. He knew George Hotspur well, and would on no account lend him a shilling. He would not have given his friend money to extricate him from any difficulty. But he forgave the sinner all his sins, opened Castle Corry to him every year, provided him with the best of everything, and let him come and dine at Altringham House, in Carlton Gardens, as often almost as he chose during the London season. The Earl was very good to George, though he knew more about him than perhaps did any other man; but he would not bet with George, nor would he in any way allow George to make money out of him. "Do you suppose that I want to win money of you?" he once said to our friend, in answer to a little proposition that was made to him at Newmarket. "I don't suppose you do," George had answered. "Then you may be sure that I don't want to lose any," the Earl had replied. And so the matter was ended, and George made no more propositions of the kind. The two men were together at Tattersall's, looking at some horses which the Earl had sent up to be sold the day after the dinner in Bruton Street. "Sir Harry seems to be taking to you very kindly," said the Earl. "Well,--yes; in a half-and-half sort of way." "It isn't everybody that would give you £5,000, you know." "I am not everybody's heir," said George. "No; and you ain't his,--worse luck." "I am,--in regard to the title." "What good will that do you?" "When he's gone, I shall be the head of the family. As far as I can understand these matters, he hasn't a right to leave the estates away from me." "Power is right, my boy. Legal power is undoubtedly right." "He should at any rate divide them. There are two distinct properties, and either of them would make me a rich man. I don't feel so very much obliged to him for his money,--though of course it was convenient." "Very convenient, I should say, George. How do you get on with your cousin?" "They watch me like a cat watches a mouse." "Say a rat, rather, George. Don't you know they are right? Would not I do the same if she were my girl, knowing you as I do?" "She might do worse, my Lord." "I'll tell you what it is. He thinks that he might do worse. I don't doubt about that. All this matter of the family and the title, and the name, would make him ready to fling her to you,--if only you were a shade less dark a horse than you are." "I don't know that I'm darker than others."