Vellenaux | Page 9

had been decided upon by the
Baronet in regard to Arthur Carlton's future career. "He will," Ralph
went on to say, "be thus removed out of harm's way for several years,
and perchance may never again cross your path, and I have no doubt
while Sir Jasper lives your position will be secure. I have served your
turn without benefitting myself in any way."
"Not so," was the lady's reply, "you have but been paving the way for
your own advancement. Why not marry Edith, she is aware that the title
falls to you, but is ignorant of the fact that her uncle has made her sole

heiress, and girls brought up as she has been, will frequently overlook
much to gain a title, and become the envied lady of Vellenaux."
"With young Carlton out of the way, and separated, as they will be, for
years, any rising passion she may now feel for him will soon die out,
and if you make your advances with caution, and be not too precipitate,
I have no doubt that you will eventually secure both the lady and the
estate, so of the two, I fancy that you have rather the best of the
bargain." And after a little more conversation on the subject, this
worthy pair parted.
And now let us introduce the youth whose future welfare had been the
difficulty about which the widow and Ralph had given themselves so
much concern.
A tall, slight, but decidedly handsome youth, between eighteen and
nineteen years of age, wearing the Collegiate cap and gown, was pacing
somewhat impatiently up and down the quadrangle of St. John's
College, evidently expecting the approach of some person whom he
was most desirous of seeing. This was Arthur Carlton, the protégé of
Sir Jasper Coleman. He was an orphan, having lost both parents 'ere he
knew them. His father had been a Peninsular officer and
companion-in-arms of the Baronet, who, on the death of his friend,
undertook to see to the education and future welfare of the little Arthur.
On losing his mother he had been removed under the care of his nurse
to Vellenaux, where he had been only a few months, when the little
Edith made her appearance on the scene of action, and being nearly of
an age they soon became good friends and fond of the society of each
other, because of mutual assistance while pursuing their studies
together, which they continued to do until young Carlton was by his
kind patron sent to school, prior to his going to college at Oxford. Fond
of study, he readily acquired knowledge which he stored up to be used
hereafter as circumstances might demand; he was aware of his real
position, and that his future success in life must chiefly depend upon
his own exertions.
His patron in caring for him during his early years, and giving him the
benefit of a university education, had, in the young man's opinion, fully

carried out the promise made to his father, on his death bed, whether on
the completion of his education his benefactor would continue to assist
him by using his interest to procure him some suitable position in
which he could carve out for himself, a road to name and fame, he
knew not, but nevertheless he felt a deep sense of gratitude for what
had already been done for him, by his father's old friend. He was
becoming restless when the friend expected advanced at a smart pace to
meet him, and proved to be Tom Barton, the youngest son of the
Bartons of the Willows, a worthy old couple who resided on their own
property, the so called Willows which joined the estate of Sir Jasper
Coleman. In this family besides daughters there were two sons, the
eldest Horace Barton had graduated at St. John's, and subsequently had
obtained an appointment in the civil service of the East India Company,
and had gone out to Calcutta, where he had now been for several years.
Tom, like his brother, had been educated at Oxford, and was now about
leaving college to return to his home for a few weeks, prior to his
leaving for London, to pursue the profession he had chosen, that of the
law.
"Carlton, my dear fellow, you must really excuse me for thus keeping
you waiting; I assure you I could not get away a moment sooner. You
can easily imagine the sort of thing, leaving the companionship of those
whom for years you have been associated with in many a frolic or
academical scrape; but to the point; in what way can I serve you?"
Carlton drew forth a sealed packet from the pocket of his gown, which
he handed to him, saying as he did so, "you will confer on