property there.

RANKIN (surprised). His proaperty! Miles with a proaperty!

SIR HOWARD. Yes: he became a planter, and did well out there, Mr.
Rankin. The history of that property is a very curious and
interesting one--at least it is so to a lawyer like myself.

RANKIN. I should be glad to hear it for Miles's sake, though I am
no lawyer, Sir Howrrd.

LADY CICELY. I never knew you had a brother, Howard.

SIR HOWARD (not pleased by this remark). Perhaps because you
never asked me. (Turning more blandly to Rankin) I will tell you
the story, Mr. Rankin. When Miles died, he left an estate in one
of the West Indian islands. It was in charge of an agent who was
a sharpish fellow, with all his wits about him. Now, sir, that
man did a thing which probably could hardly be done with impunity
even here in Morocco, under the most barbarous of surviving
civilizations. He quite simply took the estate for himself and
kept it.

RANKIN. But how about the law?

SIR HOWARD. The law, sir, in that island, consisted practically
of the Attorney General and the Solicitor General; and these
gentlemen were both retained by the agent. Consequently there was
no solicitor in the island to take up the case against him.