s her father-in-law's invited guest.

"Sir," she said, drawing up her little figure, and trying to look as
much Mrs. Locke Harper as possible, "you must be aware that in the
present state of the house a stranger's presence is undesirable. It is
not too late to order the carriage. Will you favour me by going to sleep
at Kingcombe?"

Mr. Grimes looked disposed to object; but she had her hand on the bell,
and her manner, though perfectly civil, was resolute--so resolute, that
he became humble.

"Well, Mrs. Harper, I'm willing to oblige a former client, but I should
like to put to you a few questions before leaving."

"Put them."

"First--what's wrong with the old gentleman?"

"He has had a paralytic stroke--probably caused, the doctor says, by
some great shock, which was too much for him, being an old man."

The other old man looked uneasy, as though some touch of nature smote
him for the moment.

"You don't think"--here he crept backward, shambling and cowardly--"you
don't think I had any hand in causing this--this very melancholy
occurrence."

"You?" There was undisguised scorn in Agatha's lip. As if any Mr. Grimes
could do harm to a Harper! "Nothing of the kind--pray do not disquiet
your conscience unnecessarily."

"But I did bring him unpleasant news, for which I'm rather sorry now.
I had much better have told his son. When shall I be likely to see my
friend Nathanael?"

His friend Nathanael! Agatha could have crushed him and stamped upon
him, had he been worth it.

"Mr. Locke Harper," she said, trying hard to keep her temper--"Mr. Locke
Harper will be at home to-morrow night. You can then make to him any
communications you please. At the present, the greatest benefit you can
confer on this sad house is to absent yourself from it."

"'Pon my life, Mrs. Harper, you might waste a little more breath on me,
lest I might think it worth while to spend a little too much breath on
you and yours. Do you know what claim I have upon your family?"

"That of being Major Harper's lawyer, I believe, and possibly mine
before my marriage. It is not likely that my husband has continued to
use your services afterwards."

Agatha said this sharply, for she was annoyed to feel herself in such
total darkness regarding her husband's affairs. For a moment she felt
half alarmed at the expression, "My friend Nathanael." Could they be
allied, he and this disagreeable man? Could Grimes have acquired any
power over him, that he