ess as if it had been night.

The lawyer roused his flagging resolution, and spoke to the purpose when
he spoke next.

"You have some reason, Miss Garth," he began, "to feel not quite
satisfied with my past conduct toward you, in one particular. During
Mrs. Vanstone's fatal illness, you addressed a letter to me, making
certain inquiries; which, while she lived, it was impossible for me to
answer. Her deplorable death releases me from the restraint which I had
imposed on myself, and permits--or, more properly, obliges me to speak.
You shall know what serious reasons I had for waiting day and night in
the hope of obtaining that interview which unhappily never took place;
and in justice to Mr. Vanstone's memory, your own eyes shall inform you
that he made his will."

He rose; unlocked a little iron safe in the corner of the room; and
returned to the table with some folded sheets of paper, which he spread
open under Miss Garth's eyes. When she had read the first words, "In the
name of God, Amen," he turned the sheet, and pointed to the end of the
next page. She saw the well-known signature: "Andrew Vanstone." She saw
the customary attestations of the two witnesses; and the date of the
document, reverting to a period of more than five years since. Having
thus convinced her of the formality of the will, the lawyer interposed
before she could question him, and addressed her in these words:

"I must not deceive you," he said. "I have my own reasons for producing
this document."

"What reasons, sir?"

"You shall hear them. When you are in possession of the truth, these
pages may help to preserve your respect for Mr. Vanstone's memory--"

Miss Garth started back in her chair.

"What do you mean?" she asked, with a stern straightforwardness.

He took no heed of the question; he went on as if she had not
interrupted him.

"I have a second reason," he continued, "for showing you the will. If
I can prevail on you to read certain clauses in it, under my
superintendence, you will make your own discovery of the circumstances
which I am here to disclose--circumstances so painful that I hardly know
how to communicate them to you with my own lips."

Miss Garth looked him steadfastly in the face.

"Circumstances, sir, which affect the dead parents, or the living
children?"

"Which affect the dead and the living both," answered the lawyer.
"Circumstances, I grieve to say, which involve the future of Mr.
Vanstone's unhappy da