t gentleman. You could not found a nunnery."

"But my wife could. Whose business is it what she does with her money?"

"With your money, you mean."

"Nay, with hers, when I give it her with all my heart."

"Well, you astonish me," said Kate, thoughtfully. "Tell me, now, who put
it into your head to bribe a poor girl in this abominable way?"

"Who put it in my head?" said Griffith, looking rather puzzled; "why, I
suppose my heart put it in my head."

Kate smiled very sweetly at this answer, and a wild hope thrilled
through Griffith that perhaps she might be brought to terms.

But at this crisis the lawyer from London was announced, and Griffith,
as master of the house, was obliged to seat the company. He looked
bitterly disappointed at the interruption, but put a good face on it,
and had more chairs in, and saw them all seated, beginning with Kate and
the other ladies.

The room was spacious, and the entire company sat in the form of a
horse-shoe.

The London solicitor was introduced by Griffith, and bowed in a short,
business-like way, seated himself in the horse-shoe aforesaid, and began
to read the will aloud.

It was a lengthy document, and there is nothing to be gained by
repeating every line of it. I pick out a clause here and there.

"I, Septimus Charlton, of Hernshaw Castle and Bolton Grange, in the
County of Cumberland, Esquire, being of sound mind, memory, and
understanding,--thanks be to God,--do make this my last will and
testament, as follows:--

"First, I commit my soul to God who gave it, and my body to the earth
from which it came. I desire my executors to discharge my funeral and
testamentary expenses, my just debts, and the legacies hereinafter
bequeathed, out of my personal estate."

Then followed several legacies of fifty and one hundred guineas; then
several small legacies, such as the following:--

"To my friend Edward Peyton, of Peyton Hall, Esquire, ten guineas to buy
a mourning ring.

"To the worshipful gentlemen and ladies who shall follow my body to the
grave, ten guineas each, to buy a mourning ring."

"To my wife's cousin, Griffith Gaunt, I give and bequeath the sum of two
thousand pounds, the same to be paid to him within one calendar month
from the date of my decease.

"And as to all my messuages, or tenements, farms, lands, hereditaments,
and real estate, of what nature or what kind soever, and wheresoever
situate, together with all my moneys, mortgages, chattels, furn