but Pracontal, when he came to know with whom he had been
travelling, must have questioned himself closely as to what might have
dropped from him inadvertently."

Augustus leaned his head on his hand in deep thought, and for several
minutes was silent. At last he said, "Give me your opinion, Mr.
Sedley,--I don't mean your opinion as a lawyer, relying on nice
technical questions or minute points of law, but simply your judgment as
a man of sound sense, and, above all, of such integrity as I know you
to possess,--and tell me what do you think of this claim? Is it,--in one
word, is it founded on right?"

"You are asking too much of me, Mr. Bramleigh. First of all, you ask
me to disassociate myself from all the habits and instincts of my daily
life, and give you an opinion on a matter of law, based on other rules
of evidence than those which alone I suffer myself to be guided by.
I only recognize one kind of right,--that which the law declares and
decrees."

"Is there not such a thing as a moral right?"

"There may be; but we are disputatious enough in this world, with all
our artificial aids to some fixity of judgment, and for Heaven's sake
let us not soar up to the realms of morality for our decisions, or we
shall bid adieu to guidance forever."

"I 'm not of your mind there, sir. I think it is quite possible to
conceive a case in which there could be no doubt on which side lay the
right, and not difficult to believe that there are men who would act, on
conviction, to their own certain detriment."

"It's a very hopeful view of humanity, Mr. Bramleigh," said the lawyer,
and he took a pinch of snuff.

"I am certain it is a just one. At least, I will go this far to sustain
my opinion. I will declare to you here, that if the time should ever
come that it may depend upon me to decide this matter, if I satisfy my
mind that M. Pracontal's claim be just and equitable,--that, in fact, he
is simply asking for his own,--I 'll not screen myself behind the law's
delays or its niceties; I 'll not make it a question of the longest
purse or the ablest advocate, but frankly admit that the property is
his, and cede it to him."

"I have only one remark to make, Mr. Bramleigh, which is, keep this
determination strictly to yourself; and above all things, do not
acquaint Colonel Bramleigh with these opinions."

"I suspect that my father is not a stranger to them," said Augustus,
reddening with shame and irritation together.

"It i