‘Your executors know nothing of the management of landed property. Mr. Twyne, the lawyer, lives in a distant town, and Mr. Meredith is blind; they have, therefore, empowered me to superintend the business of the estate until your return, which trust I have gladly undertaken and faithfully performed, as you will be able to see for yourself upon your return. As we now own adjoining properties, our interests are all in unison. ‘Pray write soon and inform us of your intentions, and meantime accept the hearty good wishes of your aunt and cousins, and believe me to remain, ‘Your affectionate uncle, ‘ALFRED BELASSIS. ‘Thornton House, Ladywell, May 4th, 1875.’ Tor uttered a long slow whistle indicative of a disturbed state of mind. Then he took up the remaining letter. ‘Now let us see what Maud has to say.’ ‘MY DEAREST, DARLING OLD PHIL, ‘Why _didn’t_ you write before? Two whole months I have been _dying_ to write to you, and have had no address, and no means of finding you out. We hadn’t even Tor’s banker’s address, and you haven’t a banker, poor dear old boy; but you have now, and any amount of money, for the will is “proved,” whatever that is, and you are quite a millionaire in the eyes of the neighbourhood. Oh, Phil, it is quite too lovely! Oh, why were you not here to witness Uncle Belassis’ helpless rage and despair? He pretended not to care, but he _raged_ like a wild beast to Aunt Celia in private, and I heard him. The next best thing to seeing you a rich man is to see Uncle Belassis sold. Phil, I _hate_ Uncle Belassis! He is the meanest, cunningest scoundrel in the world, I think; and Aunt Celia is as bad. But, of course, it is only people like Aunt Olive and me that know this. Outsiders think, or pretend to think, him most estimable, and hold him in high repute. Even Mr. Twyne, though he doesn’t like him, I think, has given him power to manage things till your return; and blind Mr. Meredith—have I ever told you about him and Roma, Phil?—well, anybody can get round him, and he believes in Uncle Belassis. ‘Come home soon, Phil, or he will cheat you right and left. You mustn’t pretend to think so, but he will. I do so want to see you. I know you will have grown so tall, and handsome, and strong, and bronzed—everyone does who has travelled like you. You will find yourself such a lion here. People have been dying to see you these two months and more.