I don't feel as if I should ever
be on intimate terms with my own furniture. My views in life are of the
snug and slovenly sort--a kitchen chair, you know, and a low ceiling.
Man wants but little here below, and wants that little long. That's not
exactly the right quotation; but it expresses my meaning, and we'll let
alone correcting it till the next opportunity."

"I beg your pardon," interposed Midwinter, "here is something waiting
for you which you have not noticed yet."

As he spoke, he pointed a little impatiently to a letter lying on the
breakfast-table. He could conceal the ominous discovery which he had
made that morning, from Allan's knowledge; but he could not conquer
the latent distrust of circumstances which was now raised again in
his superstitious nature--the instinctive suspicion of everything that
happened, no matter how common or how trifling the event, on the first
memorable day when the new life began in the new house.

Allan ran his eye over the letter, and tossed it across the table to his
friend. "I can't make head or tail of it," he said, "can you?"

Midwinter read the letter, slowly, aloud. "Sir--I trust you will pardon
the liberty I take in sending these few lines to wait your arrival at
Thorpe Ambrose. In the event of circumstances not disposing you to place
your law business in the hands of Mr. Darch--" He suddenly stopped at
that point, and considered a little.

"Darch is our friend the lawyer," said Allan, supposing Midwinter had
forgotten the name. "Don't you remember our spinning the half-crown on
the cabin table, when I got the two offers for the cottage? Heads, the
major; tails, the lawyer. This is the lawyer."

Without making any reply, Midwinter resumed reading the letter. "In the
event of circumstances not disposing you to place your law business
in the hands of Mr. Darch, I beg to say that I shall be happy to take
charge of your interests, if you feel willing to honor me with your
confidence. Inclosing a reference (should you desire it) to my agents in
London, and again apologizing for this intrusion, I beg to remain, sir,
respectfully yours, A. PEDGIFT, Sen."

"Circumstances?" repeated Midwinter, as he laid the letter down. "What
circumstances can possibly indispose you to give your law business to
Mr. Darch?"

"Nothing can indispose me," said Allan. "Besides being the family lawyer
here, Darch was the first to write me word at Paris of my coming in for
my fortune; and, if