PRINTED BY
KELLY AND CO., GATE STREET, LINCOLN'S INN FIELDS;
AND MIDDLE MILL KINGSTON-ON-THAMES.

CONTENTS

CHAP.
I.--[Banks and Brays.]
II.--[A Confidante.]
III.--[Friends in Council.]
IV.--[Moonlight and Shadow.]
V.--[Murder.]
VI.--[Nemesis.]
VII.--[Rescue.]
VIII.--[It was all Webb's Fault.]
IX.--[Joe Proposes.]
X.--[At Gorham.]
XI.--[Planting Hyacinths.]
XII.--[Randolph's Buckling.]
XIII.--[At Caughnawaga.]
XIV.--[Thérèse's Revenge.]
XV.--[The Selbys.]
XVI.--[Betsey as Good Fairy.]
XVII.--[At Last.]
XVIII.--[The Broker Broke.]

A RICH MAN'S RELATIVES.

CHAPTER I.

[BANKS AND BRAYS].

Ralph's satisfaction at carrying through his manœuvre with the mining company's directors amounted almost to elation. The unexpected appearance of opposition in that docile body had startled him at first, but he had been able to ride it down in so summary and highhanded a fashion that he doubted not but the spirit was quenched for ever, and congratulated himself on its having appeared at a moment when it could so easily and utterly be crushed and abolished. A meeting of the bank directors next door was now due. Glancing at his watch, he found that he was already fifteen minutes late, caught up his portfolio of bank papers in haste, and passed by way of the dressing-room into the bank, confident as an Alexander mounting his war-horse, and riding forth to new victories.

A breath of chill air blew in his face as he entered the board-room and met reserved and distant glances on every side. They had not waited for his coming, and were already deep in business. His own arm-chair, he observed--the arm-chair of pre-eminence at the end of the table, heretofore sacred to his own use, was occupied by M. Petitôt, the pork packer, vice-president of the bank, who, however, had the grace to rise apologetically, and make way, observing that they had feared Mr. Herkimer did not intend to be present, when Mr. Jowler, the bark dealer, sprang to his feet, and moved that the vice-president retain the chair for the present, M. Petipomme seconding the motion.

Ralph bit his lip, and something like a scowl passed momentarily across his face at the overt act of mutiny, which not so long before he would have quelled with a crack of the whip, and brought the unruly curs to heel with drooping neck and tail. But the moment was not opportune for the exercise of authority; his brow grew clear again, if somewhat pale, his features calm, if a trifle set, and expressionless, and he sat down in a vacant chair at the lower end of the table.