off with just a
pittance, we shall see what Hunting Harry's temper really is. We may
have an unpleasant quarter of an hour, but it will give us a vivid idea
of the end of the millennium, I fancy."

Aunt Harriet was unfeignedly troubled and anxious.

Percival was rather in the background. Sitting on one chair, he laid his
folded arms on the back of another and rested his chin on his wrists. In
this attitude he gazed at Hardwicke with the utter calm of an Assyrian
statue. He felt his pulses throbbing, and it seemed to him as if his
anxiety must betray itself. But it did not. If you have a little
self-restraint and presence of mind you can affect to have much.
Percival had that little.

Just before Hardwicke began to read Mrs. James leant toward her son and
whispered with an air of mystery. He answered with a short and sullen
nod.

Hardwicke read clearly but monotonously. The will was dated four days
after Alfred Thorne's death--not only before Percival came to
Brackenhill, but before any overtures had been made to him. Mrs.
Middleton came first with a legacy of ten thousand pounds and a few
things which the dead man knew she prized--their mother's portrait and
one or two memorials of himself. Sissy had five thousand pounds and a
small portion of the family jewels, which were very splendid. His
godson, Godfrey Hammond, had three pictures and a ring, all of
considerable value, and two or three other things, which, though of less
importance, had been looked upon as heirlooms by successive generations
of Thornes. Hammond perfectly understood the wilful pride and remorseful
pangs with which that bequest was made.

Then came small legacies to old friends. Duncan the butler and one or
two of the elder servants had annuities, and the others were not
forgotten. Two local charitable institutions had a hundred pounds each.
By this time Horace was white to his very lips and drawing his breath
painfully. Percival preserved an appearance of calm, but he could feel
his strong, irregular heart-throbs as he leant against the chair.

The lawyer went on to read the words which gave Brackenhill to Horace
for his life. If he died and left no son to inherit the estate, it was
to go to Percival Thorne. But unless Horace died first, and died
childless, Percival would not take sixpence under his grandfather's
will.

It was a heavy blow, and his lips and hands tightened a little as he met
it. He had known that the great prize was for his