“No,” said the lawyer—­“no.”

“And perhaps,” Jean went on, “the boys had better not get their shares until they are twenty-five David could have it now, so far as sense goes, but it’s the responsibility I’m thinking about.”

“I would certainly let them wait until they are twenty-five.  Their shares will accumulate, of course, and be very much larger when they get them.”

“But I don’t want that,” said Jean.  “I want the interest on the money to be added to the tenths that are laid away.  It’s better to give more than the strict tenth.  It’s so horrid to be shabby about giving.”

“And what are the ‘tenths,’ to be used for?”

“I’ll tell you about that later, if I may.  I’m not quite sure myself.  I shall have to ask Mr. Macdonald, our minister.  He’ll know.  I’m never quite certain whether the Bible means the tenth to be given in charity, or kept entirely for churches and missions....  And I want to buy some annuities, if you will tell me how to do it.  Mrs. M’Cosh, our servant—­perhaps you noticed her when you came in?  I want to make her absolutely secure and comfortable in her old age.  I hope she will stay with us for a long time yet, but it will be nice for her to feel that she can have a home of her own whenever she likes.  And there are others ... but I won’t worry you with them just now.  It was most awfully kind of you to come all the way from London to explain things to me, when you must be very busy.”

“Coming to see you is part of my business,” Mr. Dickson explained, “but it has been a great pleasure too....  By the way, will you use the house in Prince’s Gate or shall we let it?”

“Oh, do anything you like with it.  I shouldn’t think we would ever want to live in London, it’s such a noisy, overcrowded place, and there are always hotels....  I’m quite content with The Rigs.  It’s such a comfort to feel that it is our own.”

“It’s a charming cottage,” Mr. Dickson said, “but won’t you want something roomier?  Something more imposing for an heiress?”

“I hate imposing things,” Jean said, very earnestly “I want to go on just as we were doing, only with no scrimping, and more treats for the boys.  We’ve only got L350 a year now, and the thought of all this money dazes me.  It doesn’t really mean anything to me yet.”

“It will soon.  I hope your fortune is going to bring you much happiness, though I doubt if you will keep much of it to yourself.”

“Oh yes,” Jean assured him.  “I’m going to buy myself a musquash coat with a skunk collar.  I’ve always wanted one frightfully.  You’ll stay and have luncheon with us, won’t you?”

Mr. Dickson stayed to luncheon, and was treated with great respect by Jock and Mhor.  The latter had a notion that somewhere the lawyer had a cave in which he kept Jean’s fortune, great casks of gold pieces and trunks of precious stones, and that any lack of manners on his part might lose Jean her inheritance.  He was disappointed to find him dressed like any ordinary man.  He had had a dim hope that he would look like Ali Baba and wear a turban.