▁had ▁married ▁a ▁woman ▁for ▁her ▁fortune , ▁but ▁kept ▁it ▁secret ▁so ▁she ▁would ▁not ▁for fe it ▁her ▁inheritance ▁for ▁marry ing ▁without ▁her ▁brother ' s ▁consent , ▁and ▁wait ▁for ▁the ▁brother ▁to ▁die . ▁She ▁eventually ▁left ▁him ▁after ▁bearing ▁him ▁a ▁son , ▁whom ▁he ▁entr usted ▁to ▁Bro oker , ▁who ▁was ▁then ▁his ▁cl erk . ▁Bro oker , ▁taking ▁the ▁opportunity ▁for ▁ven ge ance , ▁took ▁the ▁boy ▁to ▁S que ers ' ▁school ▁and ▁told ▁Ralph ▁the ▁boy ▁had ▁died . ▁Bro oker ▁now ▁rep ents ▁his ▁action , ▁but ▁a ▁transport ation ▁sentence ▁kept ▁him ▁from ▁putting ▁the ▁matter ▁right . ▁Dev ast ated ▁at ▁the ▁thought ▁that ▁his ▁only ▁son ▁died ▁as ▁the ▁best ▁friend ▁of ▁his ▁greatest ▁enemy , ▁Ralph ▁commits ▁suic ide . ▁His ▁ill - got ten ▁fortune ▁ends ▁up ▁in ▁the ▁state ▁coff ers ▁because ▁he ▁died ▁int est ate ▁and ▁his ▁est r anged ▁relatives ▁decl ine ▁to ▁claim ▁it . ▁ ▁S que ers ▁is ▁sent enced ▁to ▁transport ation ▁to ▁Australia , ▁and , ▁upon ▁hearing ▁this , ▁the ▁boys ▁at ▁D othe bo ys ▁Hall ▁re bel ▁against ▁the ▁S que ers ▁family ▁and ▁escape ▁with ▁the ▁assistance ▁of ▁John ▁Brow die . ▁Nicholas ▁becomes ▁a ▁partner ▁in ▁the ▁Che ery bles ' ▁firm ▁and ▁mar ries ▁Mad eline . ▁Kate ▁and ▁Frank ▁Che ery ble ▁also ▁marry , ▁as ▁do ▁Tim ▁Link in water ▁and ▁Miss ▁La C ree vy .