It was four days since the funeral; it had now passed into the background of their thoughts, and they concerned themselves very little further with the will of old Madam Melcombe; for it must not be supposed that they knew much about her--not half as much, in fact, as every man, woman, and child knew round about the place where her house was situated.
They knew she had had a large family of sons, and that their father and uncle had left home early in life--had been _sent away_, was their thought, or would have been if the question had ever been raised so as to lead them to think about it.
They were sent to Wigfield, which was about sixty miles from their home.
Here they had an old second cousin, of whom they always spoke with great respect and affection.

He took Augustus into his bank, and not only became as fond of him as if he had been his son, but eventually left him half of what he possessed.

Daniel went into a lawyer's office, and got on very well; but he was not at all rich, and had always let his son know, that though there was an estate in the family, it never could come to him.

John having also been told this, had not doubted that there must have been a family quarrel at some time or other; but in his own mind he never placed it very far back, but always fancied it must be connected with his uncle's first marriage, which was a highly imprudent and very miserable one.
Whatever it had arisen from, his father had evidently taken part with his uncle; but old Augustus never mentioned the subject.

John was aware that he wrote to his mother once a year, but she never answered.