’I suppose there was some very serious reason, but on that point Mr. Burnett absolutely refused to answer me.  He said his reasons were his own, and that he intended to leave his money to whom he pleased.’

‘There was——­’ Julia stopped short, and looked interrogatively at Emily.

‘Go on, Julia, tell him; we have nothing to conceal.’

’Mr. Burnett asked Emily to marry him a short time ago; she, of course, refused, and ever since he seemed more like——­’

‘A madman than anything else,’ broke in Emily.  ’Oh, for the last month we have led a miserable life!  It was a happy release.’

‘Is it possible,’ said Mr. Grandly, ’that Mr. Burnett seriously contemplated marriage with Miss Watson?’

‘Yes, and her refusal seemed to drive him out of his mind.’

‘I never was more surprised.’  The placid face of the eminently respectable solicitor lapsed into contemplation.  ‘I often tried,’ he said, suddenly, ’to divine the reason why he changed his will.  Disappointed love seemed the only conceivable reason, but I rejected it as being quite inconceivable.  Well, it only shows how little we know what is passing in each other’s minds.’

‘Then,’ said Julia, ’Mr. Burnett has divided his fortune, leaving Ashwood to Mr. Price, and all his invested money to Emily?’

A look of pain passed over Mr. Grandly’s benevolent face, and he answered:  ‘Unfortunately he has left everything to Mr. Price.’

‘I’m glad,’ exclaimed Emily, ’that he has left me nothing.  Once he thought fit to disinherit me because I would not marry him, I prefer not to have anything to do with his money.’

Mr. Grandly and Julia looked at each other; they did not need to speak; each knew that the girl did not realise at once the full and irretrievable nature of this misfortune.  The word ‘destitute’ was at present unrealised, and she only thought that she had been deprived of what she loved best in the world—­Ashwood.  Mr. Grandly glanced at her, and then speaking a little more hurriedly, said—­

’I was saying just now that I only consented to draw up the will so that I might be able at some future time to induce Mr. Burnett to add a codicil to it.  Later on I spoke to him again on the subject, and he promised to consider it, and a few days after he wrote to me, saying that he had decided to take my advice and add a codicil.  Subsequently, in another letter he mentioned three hundred a year as being the sum he thought he would be in honour bound to leave Miss Watson.  Unfortunately, he did not live long enough to carry this intention into execution.  But the letters he addressed to me on the subject exist, and I have every hope that the heir, Mr. Price, will be glad to make some provision for his cousin.’

‘Have you any reason for thinking that Mr. Price will do so?’ said Julia.

‘No.  But it seems impossible for any honourable man to act otherwise.’