heir to the estate troubled him not at all. The fact that in four
years he would come in for some twelve thousand pounds was sufficient
to prevent his feeling any uneasiness as to his future; and indeed
in some respects it was not an unpleasant idea that, instead of
being tied down to the estate, he should be able to wander at will,
visit foreign countries, and make his own life.

In one respect he was sorry. His father had in the last year hinted
more than once that it would be a very nice arrangement if he were
to make up a match with his ward; he had laughed, and said that
there would be plenty of time for that yet. But the idea had been
an agreeable one. He was very fond of Millicent--fond, perhaps;
in a cousinly way at present; but at any rate he liked her far
better than any of the sisters of his friends. Of course she was
only seventeen yet, and there was plenty of time to think of marriage
in another three years. Still, the thought occurred to him several
times that she was budding out into a young woman, and every month
added to her attractions. It was but the day before he had said to
himself that there was no reason to wait as long as three years,
especially as his father seemed anxious, and would evidently be glad
were the match to take place. Now, of course, he said to himself,
that was at an end. He had never given her any reason to suppose
that he cared for her, and now that she was the heiress and he
comparatively poor, she would naturally think that it was for the
estate, and not for herself, that she was wooed. Then there was
the question of this curiously lost treasure, with the mysterious
clew that led to nothing. How on earth was he to set about the
quest? He puzzled for a long time over this, till at last he fell
asleep. He was roused by Ramoo entering the room.