{"product_id":"2940014206280","title":"THE LAIR OF THE WHITE WORM","description":"CHAPTER I--ADAM SALTON ARRIVES\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAdam Salton sauntered into the Empire Club, Sydney, and found awaiting\u003cbr\u003ehim a letter from his grand-uncle.  He had first heard from the old\u003cbr\u003egentleman less than a year before, when Richard Salton had claimed\u003cbr\u003ekinship, stating that he had been unable to write earlier, as he had\u003cbr\u003efound it very difficult to trace his grand-nephew's address.  Adam was\u003cbr\u003edelighted and replied cordially; he had often heard his father speak of\u003cbr\u003ethe older branch of the family with whom his people had long lost touch.\u003cbr\u003eSome interesting correspondence had ensued.  Adam eagerly opened the\u003cbr\u003eletter which had only just arrived, and conveyed a cordial invitation to\u003cbr\u003estop with his grand-uncle at Lesser Hill, for as long a time as he could\u003cbr\u003espare.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Indeed,\" Richard Salton went on, \"I am in hopes that you will make your\u003cbr\u003epermanent home here.  You see, my dear boy, you and I are all that remain\u003cbr\u003eof our race, and it is but fitting that you should succeed me when the\u003cbr\u003etime comes.  In this year of grace, 1860, I am close on eighty years of\u003cbr\u003eage, and though we have been a long-lived race, the span of life cannot\u003cbr\u003ebe prolonged beyond reasonable bounds.  I am prepared to like you, and to\u003cbr\u003emake your home with me as happy as you could wish.  So do come at once on\u003cbr\u003ereceipt of this, and find the welcome I am waiting to give you.  I send,\u003cbr\u003ein case such may make matters easy for you, a banker's draft for 200\u003cbr\u003epounds.  Come soon, so that we may both of us enjoy many happy days\u003cbr\u003etogether.  If you are able to give me the pleasure of seeing you, send me\u003cbr\u003eas soon as you can a letter telling me when to expect you.  Then when you\u003cbr\u003earrive at Plymouth or Southampton or whatever port you are bound for,\u003cbr\u003ewait on board, and I will meet you at the earliest hour possible.\"","brand":"SAP","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47079953793264,"sku":"2940014206280","price":0.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0737\/7593\/9824\/files\/2940014206280_p0.jpg?v=1763603078","url":"https:\/\/shop-qa.barnesandnoble.com\/products\/2940014206280","provider":"Barnes \u0026 Noble (DEV)","version":"1.0","type":"link"}