advisers of the Amedroz family, and our Mr Joseph Green had had but a bad time of it with Charles Amedroz in the last years of that unfortunate young man’s life.  But lawyers endure these troubles, submitting themselves to the extravagances, embarrassments, and even villainy of the bad subjects among their clients’ families, with a good-humoured patience that is truly wonderful.  That, however, was all over now as regarded Mr Green and the Amedrozes, and he had nothing further to do but to save for the father what relics of the property he might secure.  And he was also legal adviser to our friend Will Belton, there having been some old family connexion among them, and had often endeavoured to impress upon his old client at Belton Castle his own strong conviction that the heir was a generous fellow, who might be trusted in everything.  But this had been taken amiss by the old squire, who, indeed, was too much disposed to take all things amiss and to suspect everybody.  ‘I understand,’ he had said to his daughter.  ’I know all about it.  Belton and Mr Green have been dear friends always.  I can’t trust my own lawyer any longer.’  In all which the old squire showed much ingratitude.  It will, however, be understood that these suspicions were rife before the time of Belton’s visit to the family estate.

Some four or five days before Christmas there came a visitor to Mr Green with whom the reader is acquainted, and who was no less a man than the Member for Perivale.  Captain Aylmer, when Clara parted from him on the morning of her return to Belton Castle, had resolved that he would repeat his offer of marriage by letter.  A month had passed by since then, and he had not as yet repeated it.  But his intention was not altered.  He was a deliberate man, who did not do such things quite as quickly as his rival, and who upon this occasion had thought it prudent to turn over more than once in his mind all that he proposed to do.  Nor had he as yet taken any definite steps as to that fifteen hundred pounds which he had promised to Clara in her aunt’s name, and which Clara had been, and was, so unwilling to receive.  He had now actually paid it over, having purchased government stock in Clara’s name for the amount, and had called upon Mr Green, in order that that gentleman, as Clara’s lawyer, might make the necessary communication to her.

‘I suppose there’s nothing further to be done?’ asked Captain Aylmer.

‘Nothing further by me,’ said the lawyer.  ’Of course I shall write to her, and explain that she must make arrangements as to the interest.  I am very glad that her aunt thought of her in her last moments.’

’Mrs Winterfield would have provided for her before, had she known that everything had been swallowed up by that unfortunate young man.’

’All’s well that ends well.  Fifteen hundred pounds are better than nothing.’

‘Is it not enough?’ said the captain, blushing.

’It isn’t for me to have an opinion about that, Captain Aylmer.  It depends on the nature of her claim; and that again depends on the relative position of the aunt and niece when they were alive together.’