vice, Special Commissioner with her
Highness the Ranee of Illahad; Resident at the court of her Highness the
Begum of Rahahbad!"

So read the confidential solicitor and friend of the deceased, in a
husky voice, his gold-rimmed glasses helping him to decipher the brown
writing or endorsement of the yellow parchment. Then he continued:--

"I have followed out the instructions of the deceased to the letter, so
far; and now, in continuance of these instructions, in your presence, I
proceed to break this seal."

CHAPTER FIVE.

THE READING OF THE WILL.

There was a peculiar rustle in the gloomy room, a faint sound as of
catching of the breath, and above all the sharp crackle of the broken
wax as the seal was demolished, and the green ribbon thrown aside.

Then after a prefatory _Hem_! the old lawyer proceeded to read the will,
which was in the customary form, and began with a series of bequests to
the old and faithful servants of the house, in respect of whose
services, and so that there should be no jealous feeling as to amounts,
he left each the sum of five hundred pounds free of duty, and ten pounds
to each to buy mourning.

"To my old and faithful servant, companion, and friend,"--read on the
solicitor--"Ramo Ali Jee, two hundred and fifty pounds per annum for the
rest of his natural life; the same to be secured in Three-per-cent
Consols, reverting at his death as hereinafter stated."

Ramo did not move or utter a word.

"To my old friend and adviser, Joshua Girtle, of the Inner Temple, the
plain gold signet ring on the fourth finger of my left hand."

Then followed a few more minor bequests, and instructions of a very
simple nature, ending one long paragraph in the will; and as Mr Girtle
removed his glasses, and proceeded deliberately to wipe them, the
servants took advantage of the gloom where they sat to give each other a
congratulatory shake of the hand.

"I now come to the important bequests," said Mr Girtle, rebalancing his
glasses in his calm deliberate way.

"To Katrine Leveillee D'Enghien, daughter of my niece, Harriet
D'Enghien, formerly Capel, the gold bangle presented to me by the Ranee,
and one hundred pounds, free of duty, to buy mourning."

"There, what did I tell you?" said Katrine, in a low, sweet voice, as
she smiled at her companions.

"To Gerard Artis, son of my cousin, William Artis," read on Mr Girtle,
in the same monotonous, unmoved way; and then he stopped to draw one of
the