e for a minute," she said, glancing smiling into his
eyes and nodding to him, as she left him at the gate of the lawyer's
house, by the ivy-covered wall.

The lawyer was a little man, all grey. Alvina had known him since
she was a child: but rather as an official than an individual. She
arrived all smiling in his room. He sat down and scrutinized her
sharply, officially, before beginning.

"Well, Miss Houghton, and what news have you?"

"I don't think I've any, Mr. Beeby. I came to you for news."

"Ah!" said the lawyer, and he fingered a paper-weight that covered a
pile of papers. "I'm afraid there is nothing very pleasant,
unfortunately. And nothing very unpleasant either, for that matter."

He gave her a shrewd little smile.

"Is the will proved?"

"Not yet. But I expect it will be through in a few days' time."

"And are all the claims in?"

"Yes. I _think_ so. I think so!" And again he laid his hand on the
pile of papers under the paper-weight, and ran through the edges
with the tips of his fingers.

"All those?" said Alvina.

"Yes," he said quietly. It sounded ominous.

"Many!" said Alvina.

"A fair amount! A fair amount! Let me show you a statement."

He rose and brought her a paper. She made out, with the lawyer's
help, that the claims against her father's property exceeded the
gross estimate of his property by some seven hundred pounds.

"Does it mean we owe seven hundred pounds?" she asked.

"That is only on the _estimate_ of the property. It might, of
course, realize much more, when sold--or it might realize less."

"How awful!" said Alvina, her courage sinking.

"Unfortunate! Unfortunate! However, I don't think the realization of
the property would amount to less than the estimate. I don't think
so."

"But even then," said Alvina. "There is sure to be something
owing--"

She saw herself saddled with her father's debts.

"I'm afraid so," said the lawyer.

"And then what?" said Alvina.

"Oh--the creditors will have to be satisfied with a little less than
they claim, I suppose. Not a very great deal, you see. I don't
expect they will complain a great deal. In fact, some of them will
be less badly off than they feared. No, on that score we need not
trouble further. Useless if we do, anyhow. But now, about yourself.
Would you like me to try to compound with the creditors, so that you
could have some sort of provision? They are mostly people who know
you, know your condition: and I