mith, in Lincoln's Inn
Fields, No 57--but you have been there before,--and beg
them to let me know how my poor dear brother's matters are
to be settled at last. As far as I can see I shall be dead
before I shall know what income I have got to spend. As
to my cousins at the manor, I never see them; and as to
talking to them about business, I should not dream of it.
She hasn't come to me since she first called, and she may
be _quite sure_ I shan't go to her till she does. Indeed
I think we shall like each other apart quite as much as
we should together. So let me know when you're coming,
and _pray_ don't forget to call at Blackie's; nor yet at
Dolland's, which is much more important than the wool,
because of my eyes getting so weak. But what I want you
specially to remember is about Smithers and Smith. How is
a woman to live if she doesn't know how much she has got
to spend?

Believe me to be, my dear John,
Your most sincere friend,

JULIA DE GUEST.

Lady Julia always directed her letters for her young friend to his
office, and there he received the one now given to the reader. When
he had read it he made a memorandum as to the commissions, and
then threw himself back in his arm-chair to think over the tidings
communicated to him. All the facts stated he had known before; that
Lady De Courcy was in London, and that her son-in-law, Mr. Crosbie,
whose wife,--Lady Alexandrina,--had died some twelve months since
at Baden Baden, was at variance with her respecting money which he
supposed to be due to him. But there was that in Lady Julia's letter
that was wormwood to him. Lily Dale was again thinking of this man,
whom she had loved in the old days, and who had treated her with
monstrous perfidy! It was all very well for Lady Julia to be sure
that Lily Dale would never desire to see Mr. Crosbie again; but John
Eames was by no means equally certain that it would be so. "The
tidings of her death disturbed her!" said Johnny, repeating to
himself certain words out of the old lady's letter. "I know they
disturbed me. I wish she could have lived for ever. If he ever
ventures to show himself within ten miles of Allington, I'll see if I
cannot do better than I did the last time I met him!" Then there came
a knock at the door, and the private secretary, finding himself to
be somewhat annoyed by the disturbance at such a moment, bade the
intruder enter in an angry voice. "