“’E ain’t too old to take it yet,” said Harry.  Fred Botsey declared that he didn’t believe in men hunting unless they began young.  Whereupon Dr. Nupper declared that he had never ridden over a fence till he was forty-five, and that he was ready now to ride Fred across country for a new hat.  Larry suggested that a man might be a good friend to sport though he didn’t ride much himself; and Runciman again asserted that hunting wasn’t everything.  Upon the whole Reginald was the favourite.  But the occasion was so special that a little supper was ordered, and I fear the attorney did not get home till after twelve.

Till the news reached Hoppet Hall that Mrs. Morton had taken herself off to London, there was great doubt there as to what ought to be done, and even then the difficulty was not altogether over.  Till she was gone neither Lady Ushant nor her nephew would go there, and he could only declare his purpose of attending the funeral whether he were asked or not.  When his aunt again spoke of the will he desired her with much emphasis not to allude to the subject.  “If the property is to come to me,” he said, “anything of good that may be in it cannot be much sweeter by anticipation.  And if it is not I shall only encourage disappointment by thinking of it.”

“But it would be such a shame.”

“That I deny altogether.  It was his own to do as he liked with it.  Had he married I should not have expected it because I am the heir.  But, if you please, aunt, do not say a word more about it.”

The American senator.

On the Sunday morning he heard that Mrs. Morton was gone to London, and then he walked over to Bragton.  He found that she had locked and sealed up everything with so much precision that she must have worked hard at the task from the hour of his death almost to that of her departure.  “She never rested herself all day,” said Mrs. Hopkins, “till I thought she would sink from very weariness.”  She had gone into every room and opened every drawer, and had had every piece of plate through her fingers, and then Mrs. Hopkins told him that just as she was departing she had said that the keys would be given to the lawyer.  After that he wandered about the place, thinking what his life would be should he find himself the owner of Bragton.  At this moment he almost felt that he disliked the place, though there had been times in which he had thought that he loved it too well.  Of one thing he was conscious,—­that if Bragton should become his, it would be his duty to live there.  He must move his books, and pipes, and other household gods from Hoppet Hall and become an English Squire.  Would it be too late for him to learn to ride to hounds?  Would it be possible that he should ever succeed in shooting a pheasant, if he were to study the art patiently?  Could he interest himself as to the prevalence or decadence of ground game?  And what must he do with his neighbours?  Of course he would have to entertain Mr. Mainwaring and the other parsons, and perhaps once in the year to ask Lord Rufford to dine with him.  If Lord Rufford came, what on earth would he say to him?