378 WITH KITCHENER IN THE SOUDAN one place, enlarge the drawing-room, build a conservatory against it, do away with some of the pictures on the walls, and in fact he made himself very objectionable. He came on here, and behaved in a most offensive and ungentlemanly way. He actually enquired of us whether we were tenants by right or merely on sufferance. I told him that if he wanted to know he had better enquire of Mr. Tufton; and Tlossie, who is more outspoken than I am, said at once that whether we were tenants for life or not, we should certainly hot continue to reside here if so objectionable a person were master at the hall. He was very angry, but I cut him short by saying, This is our house at present, sir, and unless you leave it at once I shall call the gardener in and order him to eject you.’’’

I am not surprised at what you say. Aunt, for I met the fellow myself on the way up to Omdurman, and found him an offensive cad. It has been a great satisfaction to me to know that he was so, for if he had been a nice fellow I could not have helped being sorry to deprive him of the title and estates which he has for years considered to be his.”

After remaining four days at the Manor House, Gregory went back to town. A notice had already been served upon the former claimant to the title that an application would be made to the court to hear the claim of Gregory Hilliard Hartley, nephew of the late Marquis, to be acknowledged as his successor to the title and estates, and that if he wished to appear by counsel he could do so. The matter was not heard of for another three months. Lieutenant Hartley was in court, and was represented by a queen’s counsel of eminence, who, however, when Gregory’s narrative had been told, and the various documents put in, at once stated that after the evidence he had heard, he felt that it would be vain to contest the case at this point, but that he reserved the right of appealing should anything come to light which would alter the complexion of the affair.

The judgment was that Gregory Hilliard Hartley had