'Of near kindred you have none. But there are certain far-away cousins,
of whom, for many reasons, I never told you, and begged Mr. Cardross not
to tell you either."

"I think I ought to have been told."

Mr. Menteith explained his strong reasons for silence, such as the late
lord's unpleasant experience--and his own--of the Bruce family,
and the necessity he saw for keeping his ward quite out of their
association and their influence till his character was matured, and he
was of age to judge for himself, and act for himself, concerning them.
All the more, because remote as their kinship was, and difficult to be
proved, still, if proved, they would be undoubtedly his next heirs.

"My next heirs," repeated the earl--"of course. I must have an heir.
I wonder I never thought of that. If I died, there must be somebody to
succeed me in the title and estates."

"Not in the title," said Mr. Menteith, hesitating, for he saw it was
opening a subject most difficult and painful, yet which must be opened
sometime or other, and the old was too hones to shrink from so doing, if
necessary.

"Why not the title?"

"It is entailed, and can be inherited in the direct male line only."

"That is, it descends from father to son?"