earliest opportunity."

"Sir," said Francis, "it remains to be seen whether this whole affair is
not a most unworthy fraud. The circumstances are inexplicable--I had
almost said incredible; and until I see a little more daylight, and some
plausible motive, I confess I should be very sorry to put a hand to the
transaction. I appeal to you in this difficulty for information. I must
learn what is at the bottom of it all. If you do not know, cannot guess,
or are not at liberty to tell me, I shall take my hat and go back to my
bank as I came."

"I do not know," answered the lawyer, "but I have an excellent guess.
Your father, and no one else, is at the root of this apparently
unnatural business."

"My father!" cried Francis, in extreme disdain. "Worthy man, I know
every thought of his mind, every penny of his fortune!"

"You misinterpret my words," said the lawyer. "I do not refer to Mr.
Scrymgeour, senior; for he is not your father. When he and his wife came
to Edinburgh, you were already nearly one year old, and you had not yet
been three months in their care. The secret has been well kept; but such
is the fact. Your father is unknown, and I say again that I believe him
to be the original of the offers I am charged at present to transmit to
you."

It would be impossible to exaggerate the astonishment of Francis
Scrymgeour at this unexpected information. He pled this confusion to the
lawyer.

"Sir," said he, "after a piece of news so startling, you must grant me
some hours for thought. You shall know this evening what conclusion I
have reached."

The lawyer commended his prudence; and Francis, excusing himself upon
some pretext at the bank, took a long walk into the country, and fully
considered the different steps and aspects of the case. A pleasant sense
of his own importance rendered him the more deliberate: but the issue
was from the first not doubtful. His whole carnal man leaned
irresistibly towards the five hundred a year, and the strange conditions
with which it was burdened; he discovered in his heart an invincible
repugnance to the name of Scrymgeour, which he had never hitherto
disliked; he began to despise the narrow and unromantic interests of his
former life; and when once his mind was fairly made up, he walked with a
new feeling of strength and freedom, and nourished himself with the
gayest anticipations.

He said but a word to the lawyer, and immediately received a cheque for
two quarters' arrea