her as Molly's health and strength
returned, except that the delirium theory insisted at times on the other
theory being purely hypothetical; as, for instance, it had to be "Even
supposing I was not delirious, and the will had been there, it is still
evident that----"

Molly's recovery did not get on without a drawback, and the day on which
the lawyer came down to see her she was genuinely very unwell. She
seemed hardly able to understand business. She was ready to leave all
responsibility to him in a way that certainly saved much trouble, but he
hardly liked to see her quite so passive.

After he left, Miss Carew found her looking faint and ill.

"He must think me a fool," she said, in a weak voice. "I have left
everything on his shoulders, poor man. I'm afraid if he is asked about
me, as he's a Scotchman he will say I am 'just an innocent'! I really
ought not to have seen him to-day."

But in a few days she was better, and the house agent found her quite
business-like. The said house agent had come down with one secret object
in his heart. It was now nine months since the bankruptcy of a too
well-known nobleman had thrown a splendid old house on the market. It
had been in the hands of all the chief agents in London, and they had
hardly had a bite for it. Even millionaires were shy of it so far, the
fact being that the house was more beautiful than comfortable, the
bedrooms having been thought of less importance than the effectiveness
of the first floor. Then, perhaps, it was a little gloomy, though
artists maintained that its share of gloom only enhanced its charm.

After mentioning several uninteresting mansions, the agent observed
that, of course, there was Westmoreland House still going, and Molly's
eyes flashed. She had been at the great sale at Westmoreland House; she
had been absolutely fascinated by the great well staircase and by the
music-room, by the square reception-rooms, and above all by the gallery
with its perfection of light moulding, a room of glass and gold, but so
spiritualised, so subdued and reticent and dignified, that ghosts might
live there undisturbed.

Molly trembled with eagerness as she asked the vital questions of cost,
of repairs, of rates and taxes. Yes, it was possible--undoubtedly
possible. There was a very large sum of money in a bank in Florence
which possibly Madame Danterre had accumulated there with a view to a
sudden emergency. Molly's lawyer had not been certain of the amo