etter rest until to-morrow, sir?" was the answer. "Dr.
Maltby warned you----"

"You ought to know by this time that I seldom take a warning, and
to-morrow may be too late. Write, and write quickly. After payment of
all bequests above, balance of real estate to yourself and Forsyth as
trustees, to apply and use for the individual benefit of Millicent
Leslie. If her husband lays hands upon it, I'll haunt you. You have
power to nominate Geoffrey Thurston as your co-trustee. God knows what
may happen, and her rascally husband may get himself shot by somebody
he has swindled some day. What I wished for mightn't follow then? I'm
paying you to make my will and not dictate to me. Repeat it as many
times as may appear necessary to let my meaning show clearly through
your legal phraseology."

"I have got it down, sir," the writer told him presently.

"Now, after deductions enumerated, all my floating investments in
mines, stocks and shares to Geoffrey Thurston, to hold or sell as
pleases him, unconditionally. Bequeathed in the hope that this will
help him to confound his enemies."

It was written, signed and witnessed by Musker and the surgeon, then
Anthony Thurston asked once more and very faintly for Millicent. He
drew her down beside him and took her hand in his thin, gnarled one
before he said:

"I have done my best for you, Milly--and again thank you for the story.
After what Halliday said, it has helped to conquer an old bitterness,
and--for my work is finished--I can die contented. I may be gone
to-morrow, and my strength is spent. Good-by, Milly. God bless you!"

Millicent stooped and kissed him with a sense of shame. Before morning
all power of speech or volition left Anthony Thurston, and twelve hours
later he was dead.

CHAPTER XXII

A REPRIEVE

It was with a heavy heart that Geoffrey Thurston turned over the papers
Thomas Savine spread out before him in the Vancouver offices.

"I'm almost scared to do any more figuring," said Savine. "Money is
going to be uncommonly tight with us, and, to make things worse, I can
neither realize nor borrow. My brother's investments are way below par
now, and the first sign of any weakness would raise up an opposition
that would finish us. I can't stay here forever, and poor Julius is
steadily getting worse instead of better. Are you still certain you
can get the work done before the winter's through?"

"Yes," asserted Geoffrey. "If I can get the