CHAPTER XLIV.
THE MARRABLES OF DUNRIPPLE.
"If I were to go, there would be nobody left but you. You should remember that, Walter, when you talk of going to India." This was said to Walter Marrable at Dunripple, by his cousin Gregory, Sir Gregory's only son.
"And if I were to die in India, as I probably shall, who will come next?"
"There is nobody to come next for the title."
"But for the property?"
"As it stands at present, if you and I were to die before your father and uncle John, the survivor of them would be the last in the entail. If they, too, died, and the survivor of us all left no will, the property would go to Mary Lowther. But that is hardly probable. When my grandfather made the settlement, on my father's marriage, he had four sons living."
"Should my father have the handling of it I would not give much for anybody's chance after him," said Walter.
"If you were to marry there would, of course, be a new settlement as to your rights. Your father could do no harm except as your heir,—unless, indeed, he were heir to us all. My uncle John will outlive him, probably."