way. The gloom of the desolated place is enough to craze
any one. I hope you do not find your stay disagreeable in this house?"

"I will not attempt to deceive you, miss. I cannot say why; but I feel
uncomfortable--not at my ease. It were needless for me to repeat it; I
am sure you know the cause."

"Perhaps I do, sir; and still I cannot see in that sufficient cause for
your going away. Perhaps, sir, we are not thinking of the same cause,"
she said with a mischievous twinkle in her eye.

"I particularly allude to what you yourself communicated to me. I
perceive Miss Alice is very unhappy, and I also am apprehensive that I
may in some way be the cause of this."

"I will tell you, sir, any special attention on your part to Alice will
enrage her brother. From motives known to himself, he is very much
opposed to her marrying any one. His reasons as given are that she is
so peculiar in her disposition that she would only increase her own
misery in making her husband miserable, which her eccentric nature
would certainly insure. I have heard that he has sometimes had a
thought of carrying her to an asylum for the insane. The world,
however, is not charitable enough to believe this the true reason. The
judge is very grasping, and he has in his hands Alice's fortune. Some
of his own family suppose he desires the use of it as long as possible.
There are many hard things said of him in relation to his influencing
his mother to leave him the lion's share of her estate. This very home
was intended for Alice, and though he had not spoken to his mother for
years, in her last hours he came with a prepared will and insisted on
her signing it. She feared him (most people do) and affixed her name to
the fatal document, which report says was never read to her. After that
she could not bear the presence of Alice, saying in her delirium: 'My
poor baby will hate me; I have turned her from her home.' Alice has
learned all this, and she has upbraided him with his conduct; for once
provoked she does not even fear him."

"Why do not her brothers-in-law inquire into this? They are equally
interested in the matter it seems to me."

"Ah, sir! they are hoping that he may do them justice in his will. I am
sure this is the understanding with at least one of them, and neither
of them will hazard a loss to protect the rights of Alice. Large
expectations are strong inducements to selfishness. I am disclosing
family matters, sir; but I have done so f