abstractedly. Deringham had much to occupy his mind just then, for
while it was generally understood that he had made the journey at a
physician's recommendation, he had reasons for choosing British
Columbia to recuperate in.

He still retained control of the finances of Carnaby with the
concurrence of the trustees, who were country gentlemen of no business
capacity, and as it suited the family lawyer to remain on good terms
with him nothing more than a very perfunctory account of his
stewardship had been demanded. The late owner of Carnaby had been a
man of simple tastes and unbending pride, who had a faint contempt for
his kinsman, and refrained from inquiries respecting finances while
there was no stoppage of supplies. There were one or two men who
suspected that Deringham had profited by his relative's supineness, but
it was only a vague surmise, and they did not know that the legacy
bequeathed him had little more than an apparent value. Deringham had
been unfortunate in his latest ventures, and could foresee considerable
difficulty in extricating himself from a distinctly unpleasant position
if the new heir decided to take immediate possession of his property.
The latter had, however, shown no great desire to do so, and Deringham
had accepted a commission from the trustees to ascertain his intentions.

A company of which he was one of the promoters had also invested
somewhat unhappily in Western mines, and Deringham, who purposed to see
what could be done with the depreciated securities, intended that the
expenses of his sojourn in the mountain province should be borne by the
shareholders. He had acquired considerable facility in the art of
managing them, but the owner of Carnaby was an unknown quantity and
Deringham was anxious.