and red herrings, but not much more. I want you to leave
them some money, Virginia."

There was a pause, during which the two pairs of eyes, the dim gray and
the fiery black, looked into each other.

"This is a singular request, Marcia," said Miss Dane, at last. "I
believe I have never offered you advice as to the bestowal of your
property; nor, if I remember aright, is Mary Ashton related to you in
any way."

"Cat's foot!" said Mrs. Tree, shortly. "Don't mount your high horse with
me, Jinny, because it won't do any good. I don't know or care anything
about your property; you may leave it to the cat for aught I care. What
I want is to give you some of mine to leave to William Jaquith, in case
you die first."

She then made a definite proposal, to which Miss Dane listened with
severe attention.

"And suppose you die first," said the latter. "What then?"

"Oh, my will is all right, I have left him money enough. But there's no
more prospect of my dying than there was twenty years ago. I shall live
to be a hundred."

"I also come of a long-lived family," said Miss Dane.

"I thought the Blessed might get tired of waiting, and come and fetch
you," said Mrs. Tree, dryly; "besides, you haven't so far to go as I
have. Seriously, one of us must in common decency go before long,
Virginia; it is hardly respectable for both of us to linger in this
way. Now, if you will only listen to reason, when the time does come for
either of us, Willy Jaquith is sure of comfort for the rest of his days.
What do you say?"

Miss Dane was silent for some time. Finally:

"I will consider the matter," she said, coldly. "I cannot answer you at
this moment, Marcia. You have broken in upon the current of my thoughts,
and disturbed the peace of my soul. I will communicate with you by
writing, when my decision is reached; no second interview will be
necessary."

"I'm glad you think so," said Mrs. Tree, rising. "I wasn't intending to
come again. You knew that Phoebe Blyth was dead?"

"I knew that Phoebe had passed out of this sphere," replied Miss Dane.
"Keziah learned it from the purveyor."

She paused a moment, and then added, "Phoebe was with me last night."

"Was she?" said Mrs. Tree, grimly. "I'm sorry to hear it. Phoebe was a
good woman, if she did have her faults."

"You may be glad to hear that she is in a blessed state at present," the
cold monotone went on. "She came with my sisters Sophia and Persis;
Timothea was also with t