."

Then that deed of gift was, after all, a fact; and Mr Slow, instead
of being a rogue, must be the honestest old lawyer in London! He must
have been at work in discovering the wrong that had been done, and
was now about to reveal it to the world. Some such idea as this had
glimmered across Mr Ball's mind as he had sat in Mr Slow's outer
office, with his chin still resting on his umbrella.

But though some such idea as this did cross his mind, his thought on
the instant was of his cousin.

"What dreadful news, Margaret?"

"It is about my money."

"Stop a moment, Margaret. Are you sure that you ought to tell it to
me?"

"If I don't, to whom shall I tell it? And how can I bear it without
telling it to some one?"

"Did Mr Slow bid you speak of it to me?"

"No; he bade me think much of it before I did so, as you are
concerned. And he said that you might perhaps be disappointed."

Then they walked on again in silence. John Ball found his position
to be very difficult, and hardly knew how to speak to her, or how to
carry himself. If it was to be that this money was to come back to
him; if it was his now in spite of all that had come and gone; if the
wrong done was to be righted, and the property wrested from him was
to be restored,--restored to him who wanted it so sorely,--how could
he not triumph in such an act of tardy restitution? He remembered all
the particulars at this moment. Twelve thousand pounds of his uncle
Jonathan's money had gone to Walter Mackenzie. The sum once intended
for him had been much more than that,--more he believed than double
that; but if twelve thousand pounds was now restored to him, how
different would it make the whole tenor of his life; Mr Slow said
that he might be disappointed; but then Mr Slow was not his lawyer.
Did he not owe it to his family immediately to go to his own
attorney? Now he thought no more of his guinea at the Shadrach, but
walked on by his cousin's side with his mind intently fixed on his
uncle's money. She was still leaning on his arm.

"Tell me, John, what shall I do?" said she, looking up into his face.

Would it not be better for them, better for the interests of them
both, that they should be separated? Was it probable, or possible,
that with interests so adverse, they should give each other good
advice? Did it not behove him to explain to her that till this should
be settled between them, they must necessarily regard each other as
enemies? For a momen