"Robert Redmayne in youth was his father's favourite and if he
spoiled any of his sons he spoiled the youngest. Uncle Robert came
to England, and being fond of cattle breeding and agriculture,
joined a farmer, the brother of an Australian friend of John
Redmayne's. He was supposed to be getting on well, but he came and
went, for my grandfather did not like a year to pass without a
sight of him.

"Uncle Bob was a pleasure-loving man especially fond of horse racing
and sea fishing. On the strength of his prospects he borrowed money
and got into debt. After the death of my own father I saw a little
of Uncle Robert from time to time, for he was kind to me and liked
me to be with him in my holidays. He did very little work. Most of
his time he was at the races, or down in Cornwall at Penzance, where
he was supposed to be courting a young woman--a hotel keeper's
daughter. I had just left school and was about to leave England and
go to live with my grandfather in Australia, when events happened
swiftly, one on top of the other, and life was changed for all us
Redmaynes."

"Rest a little if you are tired," said Mark. He saw by her
occasional breaks and the sighs that lifted her bosom, how great an
effort Mrs. Pendean was making to tell her story well.

"I will go straight on," she answered. "It was summertime and I was
stopping with my Uncle Robert at Penzance when two great
things--indeed three great things--happened. The war broke out, my
grandfather died in Australia and, lastly, I became engaged to
Michael Pendean.