10
WYLDER'S HAJVD.
benefit me, for he settled that when I die it shall go to his
right heirs — that will be to ray son, if I ever have one.
So Miss Dorcas must pack, and turn out whenever I die,
that is, if I slip my cable first. Larkin told me this —
and I took an opinion — and found it so; and the Viscount
seeing it, arranged the best thing for her as well as me
would be, we should marry. She is a wide-awake young
lady, and nothing the worse for that: I'm a bit that way
myself. And so very little courtship has sufficed. She
is a splendid beauty, and when you see her you'll say any
fellow might be proud of such a bride; and so I am. And
now, dear Charlie, you have it all. It will take place
somewhere about the twenty-fourth of next month; and
you must come down by the first, if you can. Don't
disappoint. I want you for best man, maybe; and besides
I would like to talk to you about some things they want
me to do in the settlements, and you were always a
long-headed fellow : so pray dont refuse.
"Ever most sincerely, Your old Friend,
"Mark Wylder.
"P. S.— I stay at the Brandon Arms in the town, until
after the marriage; and then you can have a room at the
Hall, and- capital shooting when we return, which will be in
a fortnight after."
I can't say that Wylder was an old friend. But he
was certainly one of the oldest and most intimate acquain-
tances I had. We had been for nearly three years at
school together; and when his ship came to England,
met frequently; and twice, when he was on leave, we had
been for months together under the same roof; and had
for some years kept up a correspondence, which first grew
desultory, and finally, as manhood supervened, died out.
The plain truth is, I did not very much like him.