d again at my mother. There was a stony look upon her face. It
was ghastly to see.

"Yes, to be sure," said my father, "it was mentioned in the will. What
was his lifelong wish, Roger, was also mine. His desire and mine was,
and is, that our families should be united, that you should wed Ruth."

In spite of the tragic circumstances, my heart gave a wild leap for
joy! Ruth, my darling, my life, would be mine! It was her father's
wish, and she, I was sure, would be faithful to his least desire. I
could bear anything now!

"Will you do this, Roger?"

"Gladly, if Ruth will, father," I said huskily.

"Forgive me for interposing," said Mr. Inch, "but you have not exactly
stated the true conditions of Mr. Morton's will."

"In what way?" asked my father.

"What Mr. Morton stated in his will was that he desired his daughter
Ruth to marry the heir of the Trewinion estate, so that not only might
the families be united, but the estates also be joined."

"Well, is not Roger the heir of the Trewinion lands?"

"Yes, but you mentioned just now the possibility of anything happening
to your elder son, then, of course, your second son would take his
place."

"Yes, yes. Of course, of course," said my father, wearily.

"Does Ruth know about her father's wish?" I asked.

"No, not yet," replied Mr. Inch, "he thought it best that it should be
kept from her until she reached her twenty-first birthday, unless
necessity arose for her being told. No such necessity has arisen, and
hence she remains in ignorance of the arrangement that was made between
her father and Mr. Trewinion."

"Everything else I have stated in my will," said my father, "and all
things are arranged in due form. Roger, my boy, you will try and be
true to the Trewinion's name?"

"God helping me, I will," I said, "but, father, have you anything to
say about my mother?"

"Your mother!" he repeated, vacantly. "Ah, yes, of course, she will
live on here--unless--but that is all arranged. You need not worry
about her."

Inexperienced as I was, I could not help thinking that this was
strange. Why should my mother's welfare be dismissed in such a
careless way? I could not understand matters. Perhaps, however,
everything was privately arranged, and my father did not care to speak
before those who were outside our family circle.

I looked at my mother again, but this time her face told no story.
Evidently, I was to know nothing about her future, at any