am to you. Of course you cannot be conscious of our
relation, in the absolute way I am; through the memory I have of you. I
can only prove what I am to you by argument and evidence, but surely I
have fully proved it, and you must not let yourself doubt it; that would
be most cruel. To whom should I leave my money if not to you? Are we not
nearer kin than two persons ever were on earth before? What have been the
claims of all other heirs since property was inherited compared with
yours? Have I not inherited from you all I am--my very personality--and
should not you be my heir?

"And remember," she went on, "it is not only as my heir that you have a
claim on me; your claim would be almost as great if you were neither near
nor dear to me. It was through my action that you were called back,
without any will of your own, to resume the life which you had once
finished on earth. I did not intend or anticipate that result, to be
sure, but I am not the less responsible for it and being thus
responsible, though you had been a stranger to me instead of my other
self, I should be under the most solemn obligation to guard and protect
the life I had imposed on you."

While Miss Ludington was speaking Ida's tears had ceased to flow, and she
had become quite calm. She seemed to have been impressed by what Miss
Ludington had said. At least she offered no further opposition to the
plan proposed.

"I am very anxious to lose no time," said Miss Ludington, presently, "and
I think we had better drive into Brooklyn the first thing to-morrow
morning, and see my lawyer about the necessary legal proceedings."

"Just as you please," said Ida, and presently, pleading a nervous
headache, she went to her room and remained there the rest of the
afternoon.

Meanwhile Paul had seen Miss Ludington, and she had told him of her talk
with Ida, and its result. The young man was beside himself with chagrin,
humiliation, and baffled love. The fact that Ida had consented to the
plan of adoption showed beyond doubt that she had given up all idea of
being his wife, at least for the present, and possibly of ever marrying
him at all.

Why had she dealt with him so strangely? Why had she used him with such
cruel caprice? Was ever a man treated so perversely by a woman who loved
him? Miss Ludington could only shake her head as he poured out his
complaints to her. Ida's contradictory behaviour was as much a puzzle to
her as to him, and she deplored it scarcel