“If you had the evidence you wish for (which I see very little chance of your getting), and married Miss Melville, then, of course, the societies would come upon you.  You have got possession, you might keep them at bay for years, and in the meantime you might have interest enough with your political friends to get something good in the way of a government appointment.  We hear you well spoken of in the House as a man likely to distinguish himself.”

“Not in the way of getting government appointments,” said Francis—­“quite in a contrary direction.  But without the evidence, then, what would you advise?”

“To let the matter rest.  Indeed, I think it is useless to disquiet yourself about discovering your real parents.  These long-lost relations never amalgamate well.  I have seen several instances of it, and they were very disappointing.”

“Then,” said Francis, “I suppose the only thing for me to do is to make out a deed of gift to each of these societies in the order in which Mr. Hogarth left the property to them.  The personal estate I have certainly trenched upon a little, but all to the benefit of the heritable estate.  Cross Hall is in better condition now than when I succeeded to it.  If I have given away on the very easiest terms some of the worst land on the estate, I have improved the better, and I have spent a large sum in new cottages.  I have lived within my means; even my election expenses were saved out of the current income.”

“You do not mean to say,” said Mr. MacFarlane, “that you are going to take so wild a step as this?  What good end can you secure by throwing up your handsome fortune in this way?”

“Don’t propose such a thing yet; think a little, Hogarth,” said Sinclair.

“I am sure the figure you are making in the House would delight my old friend Harry’s heart,” said Mr. MacFarlane; “just in the way he would have liked to do himself; getting in in such an honourable way too.  I heard Prentice say that he never saw anything so open and above board and so pure as your canvassing.  If you are not Harry’s son, you deserve to be, and it is no fault of yours.  You are like a chip of the old block in your ways of thinking.  It is quite possible you are his son after all:  this woman is not to be believed one way or another.  To give up all this for the sake of a pair of grey eyes, and a pair of healthy-looking cheeks that nobody ever even thought handsome, is a young man’s folly.”

“Yes, and a head and a heart, and a few other things,” said Francis.

“She would never be so unreasonable as to wish or expect you to do it,” said Mr. Sinclair.

“She would not expect me to do it, I know.  I cannot regret my career more than she will do; but I love her, and I believe she loves me; and, please God, we will begin the world together.”

“I was sorry for the girls,” said MacFarlane, “very sorry.  You could see that when I read the will to you; but they have really done very creditably.  In spite of the most absurd education in the world, one of them got a capital situation as a governess; and the other did very well indeed, I hear, at some sort of woman’s work.  It’s the youngest that is going to be well married in Australia, and very likely the other will do the same.”