geful girl has enlightened me, when you,
my nurse--and he, my lover--left me in the dark: it has told me how my
father died!"

"That's said bitterly, miss!"

"Is it said truly?"

"No. It isn't said truly of myself. God knows you would never have
been kept in the dark, if your aunt had listened to me. I begged and
prayed--I went down on my knees to her--I warned her, as I told you just
now. Must I tell _you_ what a headstrong woman Miss Letitia was? She
insisted. She put the choice before me of leaving her at once and
forever--or giving in. I wouldn't have given in to any other creature on
the face of this earth. I am obstinate, as you have often told me.
Well, your aunt's obstinacy beat mine; I was too fond of her to say No.
Besides, if you ask me who was to blame in the first place, I tell you
it wasn't your aunt; she was frightened into it."

"Who frightened her?"

"Your godfather--the great London surgeon--he who was visiting in our
house at the time."

"Sir Richard?"

"Yes--Sir Richard. He said he wouldn't answer for the consequences, in
the delicate state of your health, if we told you the truth. Ah, he had
it all his own way after that. He went with Miss Letitia to the inquest;
he won over the coroner and the newspaper men to his will; he kept your
aunt's name out of the papers; he took charge of the coffin; he
hired the undertaker and his men, strangers from London; he wrote the
certificate--who but he! Everybody was cap in hand to the famous man!"

"Surely, the servants and the neighbors asked questions?"

"Hundreds of questions! What did that matter to Sir Richard? They were
like so many children, in _his_ hands. And, mind you, the luck helped
him. To begin with, there was the common name. Who was to pick out your
poor father among the thousands of James Browns? Then, again, the house
and lands went to the male heir, as they called him--the man your father
quarreled with in the bygone time. He brought his own establishment
with him. Long before you got back from the friends you were staying
with--don't you remember it?--we had cleared out of the house; we
were miles and miles away; and the old servants were scattered abroad,
finding new situations wherever they could. How could you suspect us?
We had nothing to fear in that way; but my conscience pricked me. I made
another attempt to prevail on Miss Letitia, when you had recovered
your health. I said, 'There's no fear of a relapse now; break it to he