This was not the only generous act of Mr. Belassis; for the disinherited Olive (soon left a widow, childless, and almost penniless), who had lived since her husband’s death with Mr. Debenham, managing his house after his wife’s death, and taking care of his children, was by his death left once more to poverty and homelessness; but Mr. Belassis had opened his own doors to her, and she lived under his roof in a state of passive, uncomplaining servitude. Meantime old Mr. Maynard still lived on, and his wealth, gradually accumulating, must have grown to something very considerable. The old man held aloof from all his kindred and shut himself up resolutely alone, only seeing his relatives from time to time, and never giving anyone the smallest reason to suppose that he looked upon him or her with the least favour. But as Alfred Belassis said to himself, he must leave his money to somebody, and certainly he would not bequeath it to any charity. He gave a home to Olive, lest her uncle’s compassion should be aroused on her behalf. He banished Phil utterly, that his existence might if possible be forgotten; for the old man had been more friendly with Mr. Debenham than with Mr. Belassis, and Maud had been his eldest niece. The little Maud was kept as far as possible in the background, and the one great hope of Alfred Belassis’ heart was that his wife Celia or his son Lewis should come in for the large fortune the old man must shortly leave behind him. He surely could not have the conscience to live many years longer. It seemed almost an insult to Providence to outlast the three-score years and ten allotted as the span of man’s life. Most of this family intrigue Phil suspected; but it was little that he actually knew, for Maud was only just emerging from childhood, and Aunt Olive’s letters were but few and far between. As for Uncle Belassis, Phil disbelieved on principle every word he wrote. He had not seen him since he was ten years old, when he had told him to his face that he was an ‘old villain,’ and had received a sound box on the ear. However, Phil was obstinate enough to stick to his opinion, and had never seen any cause to change it. He was eighteen now, a tall, good-looking youth enough, made more manly and self-possessed by the sort of life he had led, than those who had known him as a boy would have imagined; yet withal of a gentle, winning disposition which might, under other training, have grown weak and vacillating.