There was an allowance of L100 a year coming to him from the aunt whose residence at Exeter had induced him to devote himself to the Western Circuit.

His father had been a clergyman with a small living in Devonshire, and had now been dead some fifteen years.

His mother and two sisters were still living in a small cottage in his late father's parish, on the interest of the money arising from a life insurance.

Some pittance from sixty to seventy pounds a year was all they had among them.

But there was a rich aunt, Miss Stanbury, to whom had come considerable wealth in a manner most romantic,--the little tale shall be told before this larger tale is completed,--and this aunt had undertaken to educate and place out in the world her nephew Hugh.