"Snakes! it must be me," he said, as he drew confidence out of his glass; "there's no other Potts but me."
He was over-full by now, and he opened the letter and began to read it:—
"My Dear Sir——"
"By all that's living," said Geordie, "me 'my dear sir'!"
He went on reading:—
"My Dear Sir,—We regret to inform you of the sudden death of your uncle, Mr. Thomas Tyser, on the 10th instant. He left no will, and you, as the next of kin and heir-at-law, are entitled to all his real and personal estate, which is, as you are doubtless aware, very large. According to our present estimate it will amount to at least half a million sterling, and as we have been his legal advisers for the last twenty years and know all his affairs we can assure you that with proper management of certain undertakings at present in our hands, it may be much more than our estimate. In order that you may return at once we enclose you a draft on the Union Bank of Australia for two hundred pounds, and have instructed Captain Smith to give you your discharge, which he will, of course, do at once.
"We hope, as we have been so long in the confidence of Mr. Tyser, that you will see no reason to complain of our care of your interests.
"We are, my dear sir,
"Your obedient servants,
"Thomas Wiggs and Co."