"Perhaps so! but I cannot permit you to exceed your income—during the first year, at least. Thus far you have spent twice as much as you were entitled to draw."
Ben listened attentively. He had no idea of the extent of his uncle's property. If it yielded four hundred dollars a month, as he inferred, it must amount to nearly, if not quite, a hundred thousand dollars. And this young man was not content with that. Our hero could not help wondering at his unreasonableness.
"I don't see how I can economize," muttered Tremlett.
"What was your income before Mr. Baldwin's death, Mr. Tremlett?" inquired Mr. Brief.
"I starved on eight hundred dollars a year."
"Then it seems to me you aught to live comfortably now on five thousand."
"My circumstances are changed."
"At this rate you'll run through the property in ten years."
"Oh, I'll pull up after awhile," said the heir carelessly. "So just give me a couple of hundreds, old fellow!"
"I will hand you a hundred," said Mr. Brief reluctantly. "Hereafter you must keep within your allowance."