the old delightful sense of well-being, across the
beautiful grounds, in which the long slopes of green and wide-spreading
trees had already grown dear and familiar as old friends. Surely every
day it became more certain that this would be her home of the future,
since Jack was still determined to return to town the moment he was
sufficiently recovered from his accident, and Mollie's extravagance was
plainly distasteful to Uncle Bernard. As for Victor, if he really--
really meant... Ruth did not finish the sentence even to herself, but
at the bottom of her mind lurked the inevitable reflection that she
stood a double chance.

Evidently Victor's thoughts had, to a certain extent, followed her own,
for he broke the silence by saying suddenly--

"That was an extraordinary statement of Mr Farrell's the other day,--
that he had already made a will. I suppose it is a wise precaution
under the circumstances, but it gave one rather a shock to know that
things were already settled."

"Yes, poor old man! one hates to realise how ill he must be. He does
not seem to have grown any worse since we came, so far as an outsider
can judge, but he must feel his weakness increasing."

Ruth puckered her brows in a distressed fashion, too much occupied with
her own thoughts to notice Victor's quick glance of inquiry.

His concern had not been for Mr Farrell or his sufferings, but he was
quick to change his tone in response to hers.

"I expect he does," said Victor, "though he is too well-plucked to
complain. The doctor told me the other day that these fluctuations are
part of the disease, and mean no real improvement. He does not give him
long, though he thinks it will probably be six months or more. It must
be more or less of an effort to him having us here, and if his mind is
already made up, I wonder he does not prefer to go back to his
solitude."

"He said he might still change, you remember. The will is only made in
case of accidents. It does seem strange to think of it lying there all
the time, and that one peep at it would end all our wonderings. I
_should_ like to see it!" cried Ruth with an outspoken honesty which
apparently shocked her companion.

"Be careful what you say, Miss Ruth! Farrell is just the sort of cross-
grained old fellow to take all sorts of ideas into his head if he heard
you. And, besides, you can surely guess for yourself what name you
would find!"

Ruth lifted her face to his in quick in