letter
and package for you," said Jim.

"Most opportune, most opportune," answered Mr. Van Zandt, gravely,
taking the letter and package from Jim.

"Excuse me, young man, excuse me, while I see what Mrs. Calvert has to
say," he added, breaking the seal of Aunt Betty's letter and slowly
reading its contents. "Ah! So you are the Jim she speaks of in the
letter, and says I may question concerning these matters?"

"Yes, indeed," responded Jim. "Is there anything you would like to ask
me?"

"No. Not that I just think of now. But I have a little story to tell
you. Listen carefully and see if you can repeat the same to Mrs.
Calvert, when you see her later this afternoon," replied Mr. Van
Zandt. "This was told me by a fellow colleague, the man you no doubt
saw leave this office as you entered it. Strange how things come
about. Long years ago there was an English family named Winchester, a
father and mother and six children, four of them girls and two boys.
The parents were very strict with their children, and one boy, the
oldest, ran away from home, and was never heard of by the old people
again. The youngest girl had a very pretty love affair, but because
her parents disapproved, and I believe they would have disapproved of
a saint from heaven if he wished to marry their child Marrie, she took
the vows and became a sister. Two died very young, and the other two
daughters lived to be old maids, and in time all died.

"The runaway son married, so much we have learned, and had one very
beautiful daughter, who after, mother fashion, also ran away and
married. The daughter's name was Dorothy Winchester. The man she
married was a Calvert. These two died early deaths, leaving behind, so
'tis said, a little daughter named after the mother, Dorothy
Winchester Calvert."

"Our Dorothy," whispered Jim.

"Now, it seems to me that Mrs. Calvert was sister-in-law to the
Calvert that married the beautiful Dorothy Winchester. And from what I
know, Dorothy Calvert, Mrs. Calvert's ward, is the child of the former
two. But as a large estate, consisting of much property in England and
a great deal of money, is left to the heir or heirs of this Dorothy
Winchester, we shall have to have legal proof that this girl is the
right child. And when the right proof is found, my colleague will turn
over to me the various papers and deeds to the estate. And after
proving herself the legal heir of this estate, Miss Calvert may have
to take a trip to