“Indeed, Mr. Maxwell!” replied Emily, forgetting both the night-air and the character of the man who stood beside her; “pray, tell me all at once!”

“Pardon me,” replied he, coldly, “as the story is somewhat lengthy, perhaps it might be deferred till to-morrow, if your health is likely to suffer from exposure at this hour.”

Emily was confused; but she could not stoop to the weakness of deception to smooth over her former coldness.  She was burning with impatience to be restored, even in imagination, to the position from which she had been degraded by the cruel will.  Her companion’s language was not calculated to remove her doubts of his intentions.  If the communication was of a business character, why should he be offended at her haste to terminate the interview?  This reflection strengthened her resolution not to conciliate him.  She would trust to Providence and the justice of her cause, rather than make an intimate of a man whom she despised.

“Miss Dumont,” said Maxwell, growing desperate at the lady’s silence, “perhaps I have offended in some manner.  If I have, it was unintentional, and I trust you will forgive me.”

“O, no, sir, not at all!” exclaimed Emily, mollified, in spite of herself, by the humility of the attorney.  “There is no offence, and no apology is necessary.”

“I am greatly relieved by this assurance, and, with your leave, will proceed with my narrative.”

Maxwell now entered into a relation of the history of the will, but studiously avoided imparting a single fact with which she was not already acquainted.  All this he had related with a lawyer’s skill, to awaken her curiosity and interest, and to remove by distance any unpleasant suspicions which might have been awakened in her mind in regard to his motives.

To all he said Emily listened with profound attention, momentarily expecting the development of the foul plot.  But thus far Jaspar Dumont is as pure as an angel,—­nothing is disclosed.  In this manner half an hour passed away, and Emily was no wiser than at first.

Maxwell has now, with an adroitness peculiar to the successful lawyer, made himself the subject of his remarks.  He is careful that she shall know how sagacious he has been in discovering the facts he has not yet revealed.  He tells her how many weary days and nights he has spent in searching out the truth; what wonderful intelligence of his had converted the shadow of a suspicion into the reality of an incontrovertible conviction; how a single word he casually overheard has been followed through weary days and dismal nights, till he has arrived, with all the evidence in his hands, at the truth!

Emily was certainly grateful for the deep interest he had manifested in her behalf, and she expressed her gratitude with modest earnestness.

“But, Miss Dumont,” continued Maxwell, “I could not thus have sacrificed myself for every client.  My health and strength, under ordinary circumstances, would have given way, and the case have been lost.”