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CHAPTER I--ADAM SALTON ARRIVES

Adam Salton sauntered into the Erand-uncle He had first heard froentleman less than a year before, when Richard Salton had clai that he had been unable to write earlier, as he hadfound it very difficult to trace his grand-nephew's address Adahted and replied cordially; he had often heard his father speak ofthe older branch of the fa correspondence had ensued Adaerly opened theletter which had only just arrived, and conveyed a cordial invitation tostop with his grand-uncle at Lesser Hill, for as long a time as he couldspare

"Indeed," Richard Salton went on, "I am in hopes that you will make yourpermanent home here You see, my dear boy, you and I are all that re that you should succeed race, 1860, I a-lived race, the span of life cannotbe prolonged beyond reasonable bounds I am prepared to like you, and tomake your home with me as happy as you could wish So do come at once onreceipt of this, and find the welcoive you I send,in case such may make matters easy for you, a banker's draft for 200pounds Coether If you are able to giveyou, sendme when to expect you Then when youarrive at Plymouth or Southampton or whatever port you are bound for,wait on board, and I will meet you at the earliest hour possible"

Old Mr Salton was delighted when Adaroomhot-foot to his crony, Sir Nathaniel de Salis, to inforrand-nepheas due at Southampton on the twelfth of June

Mr Salton gave instructions to have ready a carriage early on theimportant day, to start for Stafford, where he would catch the 1140 arand-nephew, either on theship, which would be a new experience for hiuest shouldprefer it, at a hotel In either case they would start in the earlyiven instructions to his bailiff to send thepostillion carriage on to Southae for relays of his own horses to be sent on at onceHe intended that his grand-nepheho had been all his life inAustralia, should see so horses of his own breeding and breaking, and could dependon a journey e would be sent on byrail to Stafford, where one of his carts wouldthe journey to Southarand-nepheasasso near a relation forthe first time; and it ith an effort that he controlled himself Theendless railway lines and switches round the Southampton Docks fired hisanxiety afresh

As the train drew up on the dockside, he was getting his hand trapstogether, when the carriage door renched open and a young man jumpedin

"How are you, uncle? I recognised you from the photo you sentis so strange to methat I didn't quite knohat to do However, here I a of this happiness for thousands of!" As he spokethe oldeach other's hands

Thethat theold ested that heshould stay the night on board, and that he would hio anywhere that the other suggested Thisaffectionate willingness to fall in with his own plans quite won the oldman's heart He warmly accepted the invitation, and at once they becamenot only on terms of affectionate relationship, but almost like oldfriends The heart of the old ht The youngin the old country,a welcohout his wanderings and solitude, and the pro before the oldhitalk on affairs of interest, they retired to the cabin, which the elderwas to share Richard Salton put his hands affectionately on the boy'sshoulders--though Adam was in his twenty-seventh year, he was a boy, andalould be, to his grand-uncle

"I alad to find you as you are,manas I had always hoped for as a son, in the days when I still had suchhopes However, that is all past But thank God there is a new life tobegin for both of us To you er part--but there is stilltime for some of it to be shared in common I have waited till we shouldhave seen each other to enter upon the subject; for I thought it betternot to tie up your young life to e to justify such a venture Now I can, sofar as I am concerned, enter into it freely, since from the moment --if hechooses such a course himself"

"Indeed I do, sir--with all my heart!"

"Thank you, Adam, for that" The old,silence between the I made my will It ell that your interestsshould be protected from that moment on Here is the deed--keep it,Adaood wishes, orthe memory of them, can make life sweeter, yours shall be a happy oneNow,and havea long drive before us I hope you don't e in which rand-uncle, went to Court when Williaht--they built well in those days--and it has been kept in perfectorder But I think I have done better: I have sent the carriage in whichI travel , and relays of themshall take us all the way I hope you like horses? They have long beenone of reatest interests in life"

"I love them, sir, and I aave hteen I devotedone on Before I caave mea memorandum that we have in ood"

"I alad, my boy Another link between us"