Dear Madam,—­I have the honour to inform you that I have received a cable message from Mr. P.R.  Mac Smaill, W.S., of Edinburgh, to the effect, that, as very large interests are involved in the case which I had the honour to claim on your behalf as next of kin, his nephew, Mr. Douglas, sailed to-day (Saturday) for Montreal, vested with full powers to act in concert with your solicitors.  As my firm has no written instructions from you to act in the matter, I am prepared to hand over the documents and information in my possession to the solicitors whom you and your guardians may be pleased to appoint to deal with Mr. Douglas on his arrival.  Awaiting your instructions, I have the honour to remain,

Dear madam,
Your obedient servant,
EUGENE CORISTINE.

Nothing but the signature was in his writing; this was terrible, the worst blow of all.

She took the letter to uncle John in the office and laid it down before him.  He read it gravely, and then bestowed a kiss of congratulation on his niece.  “I aye kennt your fayther was weel conneckit, Marjorie, but lairge interests in the cen o’ writers to the signet like Mac Smaill means a graun’ fortune, a muckle tocher, lassie.  We maun caa’ your mither doon to talk it owre.”  So Mrs. Carmichael came to join the party.  Her daughter wished to appoint some other firm of lawyers in Toronto, or else to leave all in the hands of Mac Smaill, but the Squire and Mrs. Carruthers would not hear of either alternative.  They knew Coristine, and could trust him to work in the matter like one of themselves; so the young lady’s scruples were outwardly silenced, and the Squire was duly authorized to conduct the correspondence with the lawyer.  This he did in twofold fashion.  First he wrote:—­

     EUGENE CORISTINE, ESQ.,
                Messrs. Tylor, Woodruff and White.

     Dear Sir, Although my niece, Marjorie Carmichael, is of legal
     age, it is her desire and that of her mother that I, in the
     capacity of guardian, should authorize you or your firm, as I
     hereby do in her name, to prosecute her claim as the heir of the
     late Dr. James Douglas Carmichael, M.P., to the fortune advertised
     by P.R.  Mac Smaill, W.S., of Edinburgh as falling her late father,
     and to conduct all necessary negotiations with Mr. Mac Smaill and
     his clients in the case.  Kindly notify me at once of your
     acceptance of the trust, and make any necessary demands for funds
     and documents as they may be required.  Yours,
                                                  JOHN CARRUTHERS, J.P.

The other letter was:—­