Paul Montague’s father and mother had long been dead.  The father had been a barrister in London, having perhaps some small fortune of his own.  He had, at any rate, left to this son, who was one among others, a sufficiency with which to begin the world.  Paul when he had come of age had found himself possessed of about L6,000.  He was then at Oxford, and was intended for the bar.  An uncle of his, a younger brother of his father, had married a Carbury, the younger sister of two, though older than her brother Roger.  This uncle many years since had taken his wife out to California, and had there become an American.  He had a large tract of land, growing wool, and wheat, and fruit; but whether he prospered or whether he did not, had not...