Miss, that the old Squire did destroy it. He was a little
wandering at last." It was thus that Mrs Griffith had expressed her
opinion to Isabel.

Isabel was sure that it was not so, but said nothing in reply.

If she could only get away from Llanfeare and have done with it, she
would be satisfied. Llanfeare had become odious to her and terrible!
She would get away, and wash her hands of it. And yet she was aware
how sad would be her condition. Mr Apjohn had already explained to
her that the Squire had so managed his affairs as to have left no
funds from which could be paid the legacy which had nominally been
left to her. She had told her father when at Hereford that her
uncle had taken such care of her that she would not become a burden
upon him. Now it seemed that she would have to return home without
a shilling of her own. For one so utterly penniless to think of
marrying a man who had little but his moderate professional income
would, she felt, be mean as well as wrong. There must be an end to
everything between her and Mr Owen. If her father could not support
her, she must become a governess or, failing that, a housemaid. But
even the poor-house would be better than Llanfeare, if Llanfeare were
to be the property of Cousin Henry.

Mr Apjohn had told her that she could not now leave the place on the
Wednesday as she had intended. On the Wednesday he again came to
Llanfeare, and then she saw him before he proceeded to his business.
It was his intention now to read the last will which had been found,
and to explain to those who heard it that he proposed, as joint
executor with Dr Powell, to act upon that as the last will;--but
still with a proviso that another will might possibly be forthcoming.
Though he had in a measure quarrelled with the Squire over the making
of that will, nevertheless, he had been appointed in it as the
executor, such having been the case in the wills previously made. All
this he explained to her up in her room, assenting to her objection
to be again present when the will should be read.

"I could not do it," she said; "and of what use could it be, as I
know everything that is in it? It would be too painful."

He, remembering the futile legacy which it contained for herself, and
the necessity which would be incumbent upon him to explain that there
were no funds for paying it, did not again ask her to be present.

"I shall go to-morrow," she said.

Then he asked her whether she could not r