, it was her late
mistress; and yet Martha had had her troubles with her mistress; and
there was a legacy of two hundred pounds to the gentleman who was
called upon to act as co-executor with Captain Aylmer. Other clause
in the will there was none, except that one substantial clause which
bequeathed to her well-beloved nephew, Frederic Folliott Aylmer,
everything of which the testatrix died possessed. The will had been
made at some moment in which Clara's spirit of independence had
offended her aunt, and her name was not mentioned. That nothing
should have been left to Clara was the one thing that surprised the
relatives from Taunton who were present. The relatives from Taunton,
to give them their due, expected nothing for themselves; but as there
had been great doubt as to the proportions in which the property
would be divided between the nephew and adopted niece, there was
aroused a considerable excitement as to the omission of the name of
Miss Amedroz--an excitement which was not altogether unpleasant. When
people complain of some cruel shame, which does not affect themselves
personally, the complaint is generally accompanied by an unexpressed
and unconscious feeling of satisfaction.

On the present occasion, when the will had been read and refolded,
Captain Aylmer, who was standing on the rug near the fire, spoke a
few words. His aunt, he said, had desired to add a codicil to the
will, of the nature of which Mr. Palmer was well aware. She had
expressed her intention to leave fifteen hundred pounds to her
niece, Miss Amedroz; but death had come upon her too quickly to
enable her to perform her purpose. Of this intention on the part of
Mrs. Winterfield, Mr. Palmer was as well aware as himself; and he
mentioned the subject now, merely with the object of saying that, as
a matter of course, the legacy to Miss Amedroz was as good as though
the codicil had been completed. On such a question as that there
could arise no question as to legal right; but he understood that the
legal claim of Miss Amedroz, under such circumstances, was as valid
as his own. It was therefore no affair of generosity on his part.
Then there was a little buzz of satisfaction on the part of those
present, and the meeting was broken up.

A certain old Mrs. Folliott, who was cousin to everybody concerned,
had come over from Taunton to see how things were going. She had
always been at variance with Mrs. Winterfield, being a woman who
loved cards and