He put a foot up to the bars, to dry and warm it, and the wet boot began to steam; but, he neither looked at it, nor at the fire, but steadily looked at me.

It was only now that I began to tremble.
When my lips had parted, and had shaped some words that were without sound, I forced myself to tell him (though I could not do it distinctly), that I had been chosen to succeed to some property.
"Might a mere warmint ask what property ?" said he.
I faltered, "I don't know." "Might a mere warmint ask whose property ?" said he.
I faltered again, "I don't know." "Could I make a guess, I wonder," said the Convict, "at your income since you come of age! As to the first figure now.

Five ?" With my heart beating like a heavy hammer of disordered action, I rose out of my chair, and stood with my hand upon the back of it, looking wildly at him.
"Concerning a guardian," he went on.

"There ought to have been some guardian, or such-like, whiles you was a minor.

Some lawyer, maybe.