I shall
be away there will be no occasion even for that. When the will is read
there will be no one present but ourselves, and I don't see why its
contents should not be kept a secret for a time; at any rate, we can ask
Mr. Prendergast's opinion upon that subject."

At this moment, Mrs. Cunningham coming into the room, Millicent ran to
her and threw her arms round her neck.

"He has made me most miserable," she said. "I thought I could not have
been more miserable than I was before he told me all about it."

"I knew that he was going to do so, and I was quite sure that you would
not be pleased at the news. I have all along thought that it was a
mistake on the part of your father; but as it was his decision, and not
mine, I only had to carry out his wishes."

"It is cruel," Millicent sobbed. "I don't mean it is cruel of my father;
of course he could not have known, and he thought he was doing the best
thing for my happiness, but it has all turned out wrong."

"For the present you may think so, dear; but you must remember that up
to the present time it has turned out well. I know that your uncle did
not like it at first, but I think that he passed ten happy years here.
It gave him a great power for doing good, and he worthily availed
himself of it. We have all spent a happy time; he was universally liked
and respected. I think all of us have benefited by it. It would not have
been half as pleasant if it had been known that you, my child, were the
real owner of the estate, and he was acting merely as your guardian.
Let us hope that everything will turn out as well in future. Colonel
Thorndyke told me that he had left a considerable sum in addition to the
estates, and that this was to be divided between you and Mark; so you
see your cousin will not go out into the world a beggar."

"It is most of it lost," Millicent said with an hysterical laugh. "It
is all hidden away, and no one can find it; everything has gone wrong
together."

"Well, I think, dear, that you had better go up to bed. I will go
with you. At the present time this, of course, has come upon you as an
additional shock. I would gladly have shielded you from it for a time if
I could have done so, but you must have learned it tomorrow, and I quite
agree with Mark that is was better that he should tell you this evening.
I sent down to the town today to the doctor's and asked him to send me
up a soothing draught, thinking that you might be upset by the news