She folded her slim white hands on her knees and

spoke with a simple directness.

"Mr. Glenarm, there is something I wish to say to

you, but I can say it only if we are to be friends. I

have feared you might look upon us here as enemies."

"That is a strong word," I replied evasively.

"Let me say to you that I hope very much that nothing

will prevent your inheriting all that Mr. Glenarm

wished you to have from him."

"Thank you; that is both kind and generous," I said

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with no little surprise.

"Not in the least. I should be disloyal to your grandfather,

who was my friend and the friend of my family,

if I did not feel kindly toward you and wish you well.

And I must say for my niece-"

"Miss Devereux." I found a certain pleasure in pronouncing

her name.

"Miss Devereux is very greatly disturbed over the

good intentions of your grandfather in placing her name

in his will. You can doubtless understand how uncomfortable

a person of any sensibility would be under the

circumstances. I'm sorry you have never met her. She

is a very charming young woman whose happiness does

not, I may say, depend on other people's money."

She had never told, then! I smiled at the recollection

of our interviews.

"I am sure that is true, Sister Theresa."

"Now I wish to speak to you about a matter of some

delicacy. It is, I understand perfectly, no business of

mine how much of a fortune Mr. Glenarm left. But

this matter has been brought to my attention in a disagreeable

way. Your grandfather established this

school; he gave most of the money for these buildings.

I had other friends who offered to contribute, but he insisted

on doing it all. But now Mr. Pickering insists

that the money-or part of it at least-was only a loan."

"Yes; I understand."

"Mr. Pickering tells me that he has no alternative in

the matter; that the law requires him to collect this

money as a debt due the estate."

"That is undoubtedly true, as a general proposition.

He told me in New York that he had a claim against

you for fifty thousand dollars."

"Yes; that is the amount. I wish to say to you, Mr.

Glenarm, that if it is necessary I can pay that amount."

"Pray do not trouble about it, Sister Theresa. There

are a good many things about my grandfather's affairs

that I don't understand, but I'm not going to see an

old friend of his swindled. There's more in all this

than appears. My grandfather seems to have mislaid

or lost most of his assets before he died. And yet he

had the reputation of being a pretty cautious business

man."

"The impression is abroad, as you must know, that

your grandfather concealed his fortune before his

death. The people hereabouts believe so; and Mr. Pickering,

the executor, has been unable to trace it."




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