and had so battered the man that the school had to be closed for
a fortnight. They had always kept up a correspondence. When he
received the news of his father's death George had written to him,
begging him to go down to Reigate, and to manage the estate for
him.

"Of course," he said, "you will draw its income as long as you are
there. I mayn't be back for another twenty years; one gets rich
out here fast, what with plunder and presents and one thing and
another, and it is no use to have money accumulating at home, so
just live on the place as if it were your own, until I come home
to turn you out."

John had declined the offer.

"I am very well where I am," he wrote, "and the care of the estate
would be a horrible worry to me; besides, I have just married, and
if I ever have any children they would be brought up beyond their
station. I have done what I can for you. I have seen the family
lawyers, who have engaged a man who has been steward to Sir John
Hieover, and looked after the estate during his son's minority.
But the young blade, on coming of age, set to work to make ducks
and drakes of the property, and Newman could not bear to see the
estate going to the Jews, so, as luck would have it, he resigned
a month ago, and has been appointed steward at Reigate. Of course,
if you don't like the arrangement you must write and say so. It will
be a year before I get your answer, and he has only been engaged
for certain for that time; it must lie with you as to permanent
arrangement."