in. If ever you
are to do me a good turn, you must do it now. And remember this, I
don't at all want to take anything away from you. Whatever you think
is fair you shall have."

He was a fool not to have known her better than that.

"I want nothing," she said, stopping, and stamping with her foot upon
the crushed heather. "George, you don't understand what it is to be
honest."

He smiled,--with a slight provoking smile that passed very rapidly
from his face. The meaning of the smile was to be read, had Kate been
calm enough to read it. "I can't say that I do." That was the meaning
of the smile. "Well, never mind about that," said he; "you advised my
grandfather not to make his will,--thinking, no doubt, that his mind
was not clear enough?"

She paused a moment again before she answered him. "His mind was
clear," she said; "but I thought that he should not trust his
judgement while he was so weak."

"Look here, Kate; I do believe that you at any rate have no mind
to assist in this robbery. That it is a robbery you can't have any
doubt. I said he had left the estate to you. That is not what he has
done. He has left the estate to my uncle John."

"Why tell me, then, what was untrue?"

"Are you disappointed?"

"Of course I am; uncle John won't give it you. George, I don't
understand you; I don't, indeed."

"Never mind about that, but listen to me. The estate is left in the
hands of John Vavasor; but he has left you five hundred a year out of
it till somebody is twenty-five years old who is not yet born, and
probably never will be born. The will itself shows the old fool to
have been mad."

"He was no more mad than you are, George."

"Listen to me, I tell you. I don't mean that he was a raging maniac.
Now, you had advised him not to make any new will because you thought
he was not in a fit condition?"

"Yes; I did."

"You can swear to that?"

"I hope I may not be called on to do so. I hope there may be no
swearing about it. But if I am asked the question I must swear it."

"Exactly. Now listen till you understand what it is I mean. That
will, if it stands, gives all the power over the estate to John
Vavasor. It renders you quite powerless as regards any help
or assistance that you might be disposed to give to me. But,
nevertheless, your interest under the will is greater than his,--or
than that of any one else,--for your son would inherit if I have
none. Do you understand?"

"Yes; I think so."

"And