[MR. BRISTOW STOPPED AND LOOKED CURIOUSLY AT ARTHUR—Frontis.]

[WENT ON INTO THE DINING-ROOM WHERE HIS SISTERS WERE SITTING AT WORK]

[THERE COULD BE NO DOUBT THAT THIS WAS THE MISSING LETTER]

ARTHUR'S INHERITANCE
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[CHAPTER I]

A COUNTY FAMILY

"WELL, I've done it, and if there should be a row, you girls must help me to get out of it with the Mater."

The speaker was a tall, well-grown lad about fifteen. His two sisters might have been a year older and a year younger, judging by their looks. They were both sewing, but dropped their work as the lad seated himself at the opposite side of the table.

"Oh, Arthur! What have you been doing now?" asked the elder sister, with something like a sigh.

"What's this latest scrape, you bad boy?" said the other, shaking her head and yet looking affectionately at her brother.