The King of the School, or, Who will Win? — page 50: what you’re looking at

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44 and a little party had assembled in the library to hear the will read. It was very short. Everything the testator possessed was bequeathed to his son,—Mrs. Egerton and Mr. Throckmorton, the family solicitor, being executors. The ceremony had scarcely been con- cluded, when the butler entered with a large official-looking letter, addressed to Mrs. Egerton. ‘Read it for me, please,” said the widow, handing it to Mr. Throck- morton. The legal gentleman did so. “T must speak to you and Mr. Frank alone,” said he, when he had looked through the letter. Mrs. Egerton wearily rose, and led the way to another apartment. This letter,” said Mr. Throckmor- ton, when he had closed the door, “is from a solicitor, and is to inform you that his client, Thorfield Hilton Baynes, holds a mortgage on all the estates of the late Mr. Egerton, and that if the sum of £9,475, 16s. 8s. is not paid within three days from the date of this letter, the mortgagee will be compelled to foreclose without delay.” “Then, pray, settle with him without delay, Mr. Throckmorton.” “ T am sorry to be obliged to inform you, madam, that the matter is too serious to be disposed of in so easy a manner. There is not an eighth part of that sum standing to your credit in the bank.” “Oh, why did you not advise him against such a step?” ‘‘T assure you, on my word of hon- our, madam, that I never, till this day, heard of such a mortgage. He once spoke to me on the subject, but I fancied I had persuaded him to aban- don the scheme.” “ Then, what is to be done?” sighed the poor widow. ‘That requires consideration, madam. Your husband borrowed all the avail- able cash I possessed some three months since, or I could have offered to relieve your difficulties.” —_——ee ie cs pp I Sy SS THE KING OF THE SCHOOL; OR, WHO WILL WIN ? a ‘Only three days! that is cruel!” exclaimed Frank. surely, this must be the father of the boy I thrashed !” “What!” : “There is a boy named Hilton Baynes at Lexicon College. I gave him a very severe beating the first day I was there. Perhaps this is his revenge.” “My son, why did you fight to bring all this trouble upon me?” ‘“‘T would not have done so, mamma, had I guessed what it would result in; but I could not stand by and see him ill-treat one much smaller and weaker than himself.” “It cannot be helped now, Frank, dear,” said Mrs. Egerton, throwing her arms round her son’s neck. “The only thing we have to consider is how to get rid of this mortgage.” “T will see this solicitor at once, and get an interview with Mr. Baynes, if possible,” said Throckmorton. “Per- haps we may be able to come to some amicable arrangement.” Mr. Throckmorton did manage an interview with Mr. Baynes’s solicitor the next day, and Mr. Baynes him- self happened to come in while the two were conversing. But no good resulted from the meet- ing, and he was compelled to return to Mrs. Egerton, and inform her that, ac- cording to the terms of the letter, the money must be forthcoming within the specified time. The remainder of the term of grace granted was spent by Mr. Throckmor- ton in endeavouring to raise sufficient money to pay off the encumbrance. In that too he was unsuccessful, though he tried in every direction. * * * * * * Heartrending was the scene when the widow and orphan were com- pelled to quit the home which, for so many years, had been one of happiness to them. On examination ‘it was found that Mrs. Egerton, after setting aside a sum for Frank’s education, would be in re- ceipt of an income of nearly two hun- dred a-year, co A) DOO (CO mn