The Argosy — page 24: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

14 The Master of Greylands. was by the high coach road that branched off by the Dolphin Inn. And this brings us to the Castlemaines. Greylands’ Rest, and the estate on which it stood, had been pur- chased and entered upon many years before by the then head and chief of the family, Anthony Castlemaine. His children grew up there. He had three sons: Basil, James, and Peter. Basil was three or four years the elder, for a little girl had died between him and James; and if he were living at the present time, he would be drawing towards sixty years of age. It was not known whether he was living or not. Anthony Castlemaine had been a harsh and hasty man; and Basil was wild and wilful. After a good deal of unpleasantness at home, and some bitter quarrelling between father and son, in which the two younger sons took part against their brother, Basil quitted his home and went abroad. He was twenty-two then, and had come into possession of a very fair sum of money, which fell to him from his late mother. The two other sons came into the same on attaining their majority. Besides this, Mr. Castlemaine handed over to Basil his portion, so that he went away rich. He went to seek his fortune and to get nd of his unnatural relatives, he informed his friends in Greylands and Stil- borough, and that he hoped never to come back until Greylands’ Rest was his. He never had come back. All those years, some- thing like five-and-twenty now, and they had never heard from him directly, though once or twice incidentally | The last time was about four years ago, when chance news came that he was alive and well. James Castlemaine had remained with his father at Greylands’ Rest, managing the land on the estate. Peter had taken his portion and set up as a banker at Stilborough : we have seen with what success. James married, and took his wife home to Greylands’ Rest: but she died soon, leaving him a little son. Several years subsequently he married again : a widow lady ; and she was the present Mrs. Castlemaine. Old Anthony Castlemaine lived on, year after year, at Greylands’ Rest, wondering whether he should see his eldest son again. With all Basil's faults, he had been his father’s favourite : and the old man grew to long for him. It was more than either of Basil’s brothers did. Basil had had his portion from both father and mother, and so they washed their hands of him, as the two were wont to observe, and they did not want him back again. They, at least, had their wish, though Mr. Castlemaine had not. The old man lived to the age of eighty-five and then died without seeing his eldest son; without, in fact, being sure that he was still alive. It was not sovery long since old Anthony died: they had just put off mourning for him. James had come into Greylands’ Rest on his father’s death: at any rate, he had remained in possession. Rumours and surmises went abroad freely. Some thought it was left to James éx ¢rust for Basil ; but nobody knew, and the Castlemaines never talked of their own affairs. The estate of Grevylands’ comieDoooks (C(O) mn —_)