Master Albert--that was what they all called him--was said to
have an income of over seven hundred thousand dollars a year. What he
did with such a sum no one could imagine; he had lived quite alone
since his father's death. The house had always been run by Miss
Aurelia, old Mr. Lockman's sister, a lady with the lumbago and a
terrible temper; but she had died a couple of years ago. Mr. Lockman
had taken great interest in his stock farm, but very little in his
house; and Master Albert took even less, spending most of his time in
New York. Consequently everything was at sixes and sevens, and he was
being robbed most terribly. But in spite of all his relatives'
suggestions, he would not have anyone to come and live with him.
Master Albert was still a minor, and his affairs were managed by Mr.
Hickman, the family lawyer, and also by his uncle, Mr. Wygant. The
latter was a manufacturer and capitalist--also a great scholar, so
Katie said. It was he Samuel had seen that afternoon in the
automobile, a tall and very proud-looking man with an iron-gray
mustache. He lived in the big white house just after you climbed the
ridge; and Miss Gladys was his only daughter. She had been old Mr.
Lockman's favorite niece, and he had left her a great deal of money.
People were always planning a match between her and Master Albert, but
that always made Miss Gladys very angry.
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