‘By George, that’ll be a grand thing for you, Dolly.’

’Oh yes.  Of course I want it.  But I don’t like the place going.  I’m not much of a fellow, I know.  I’m awfully lazy and can’t get myself to go in for things as I ought to do; but I’ve a sort of feeling that I don’t like the family property going to pieces.  A fellow oughtn’t to let his family property go to pieces.’

‘You never lived at Pickering.’

’No;—­and I don’t know that it is any good.  It gives us 3 per cent. on the money it’s worth, while the governor is paying 6 per cent., and I’m paying...