dly treated. If you like, Roger, you
might grant him an annuity," and he named a sum.

"God is my witness, father, that I'll be true to your wishes; if I can,
I'll give him more."

"That's my own boy, Roger. He will not need it; but it's perhaps best."

I looked at my mother as he said this. There was a terrible look on
her face. I cannot describe it. Mockery, disdain, anger, despair,
vindictiveness were all stamped there, but I heeded little; I was too
intent on catching my father's every word.

"With regard to the girls, Roger, they will live on with you. I have
left them a farm each--bought with the money saved through the years.
The rents of these farms have been, and are, accumulating. It's all
written down, and, when the lawyer comes, you can go into everything.
These farms, and the money received from them, will be their wedding
portion if they marry; if they don't they will never be in want."

I could only say, "Yes, father."

"If it's God's will," he went on, "Wilfred will succeed Mr. Polperrow
and have the Trewinion living, unless anything happens to you,
then--then he will be Trewinion's heir."

Involuntarily I again looked at my mother's face. There was exulting
triumph on it, mingled with a look of terrible hatred. I did not know
what it meant, nor could I conjecture.

"But I hope there's no danger of that," he continued. "You are my
eldest born, my own boy."

How fondly he repeated these words, and how proud I felt, in spite of
my grief, as I heard him speak them; and so I again repeated:

"I'm your own boy."

"There's just one other matter I'm going to speak to you about," he
said, after a pause. "I ought to have spoken to you about it before;
but I thought there was plenty of time. Mr. Inch, will you come near?"

The old man came up with a stately step. He had always been treated
with great respect in our house, especially as he was Ruth's valued
friend, and had much to do with the managing of Ruth's estate.

"You remember," went on my father, and I noticed that he spoke with
more difficulty, "the night you saved Ruth?"

"Yes, father."

"I had been in communication with her father prior to that; indeed, as
you know, we had been friends for years."

He turned to Mr. Inch when he said this, and went on:

"You know Mr. Morton's wish with regard to Ruth, Mr. Inch; he told you
before he died all about it?"

"Yes," said Mr. Inch, "and it was mentioned in his will."

I looke