r's
character in her cousin's eyes! It had all been done in vain. At
this very moment of her own trouble Kate thought of John Grey, and
repented of what she had done. Her hopes in that direction were
altogether blasted. She knew that her brother had ill-treated Alice,
and that she must tell him so if Alice's name were mentioned between
them. She could no longer worship her brother, and hold herself at
his command in all things. But, as regarded the property to which he
was naturally the heir, if any act of hers could give it to him, that
act would be done. "If the will is as you say, George, I will make
over my right to you."

"You can make over nothing," he answered. "The old robber has been
too cunning for that; he has left it all in the hands of my uncle
John. D---- him. D---- them both."

"George! George! he is dead now."

"Dead; of course he is dead. What of that? I wish he had been dead
ten years ago,--or twenty. Do you suppose I am to forgive him because
he is dead? I'll heap his grave with curses, if that can be of avail
to punish him."

"You can only punish the living that way."

"And I will punish them;--but not by cursing them. My uncle John
shall have such a life of it for the next year or two that he shall
bitterly regret the hour in which he has stepped between me and my
rights."

"I do not believe that he has done so."

"Not done so! What was he down here for at Christmas? Do you pretend
to think that that make-believe will was concocted without his
knowledge?"

"I'm sure that he knew nothing of it. I don't think my grandfather's
mind was made up a week before he died."

"You'll have to swear that, remember, in a court. I'm not going to
let the matter rest, I can tell you. You'll have to prove that. How
long is it since he asked you what you would do with the estate if he
left it to you?"

Kate thought for a moment before she answered. "It was only two days
before he died, if I remember rightly."

"But you must remember rightly. You'll have to swear to it. And now
tell me this honestly; do you believe, in your heart, that he was in
a condition fit for making a will?"

"I advised him not to make it."

"Why? why? What reason did you give?"

"I told him that I thought no man should alter family arrangements
when he was so ill."

"Exactly. You told him that. And what did he say?"

"He was very angry, and made me send for Mr Gogram."

"Now, Kate, think a little before you answer me aga