Then the character and appearance of Wycherly put fraud out of the question, so far as the young lieutenant himself was concerned.

Although the elder branch of the family, legitimately speaking, was reduced to the helpless old man who was now stretched upon his death-bed, his own had been extensive; and it well might be that some cadet of the Wychecombes of Wychecombe-Regis, had strayed into the colonies and left descendants.
Secretly resolving to look more closely into these facts, he gravely returned the seals, and intimated to Sir Gervaise that the more important business before them had better proceed.

On this hint, Atwood resumed the pen, and the vice-admiral his duties.
"There want yet some 6 or L7000 to make up L20,000, Sir Wycherly, which I understand is the sum you have in the funds.

Whose name or names will you have next inserted ?" "Rotherham--vicar--poor St.James--gone; yes--Mr .-- Rotherham--vicar." The clause was written, the sum of L1000 was inserted, and the whole was read and approved.
"This still leaves us some L5000 more to deal with, my dear sir ?" A long pause succeeded, during which time Sir Wycherly was deliberating what to do with the rest of his ready money.

At length his wandering eye rested on the pale features of Mrs.Dutton; and, while he had a sort of liking, that proceeded from habit, for her husband, he remembered that she had many causes for sorrow.