ited to the occasion.

"Oh dear!" she cried, "I have been in such a state ever since I had your
note! I thought I should never get away this morning. The stupidity of
those servants is beyond description. Now do tell all about everything."
She sat down suddenly, then jumped up, kissed her mother-in-law on the
brow, and shook hands with Katherine.

"There is very little more to tell beyond what I said in my note,"
returned Mrs. Liddell. "The poor old man never spoke or showed any
symptom of life after he fell. Mr Newton, of course, will make all
arrangements. The funeral will be on Friday, and Katherine and I will
remain here till it is over."

"And the will?" whispered Mrs. Frederic, eagerly. "Have you found out
anything about that?"

Mrs. Liddell shook her head. "I have not even asked, so sure am I that
it will not affect us in any way. Mr. Newton is now examining the bureau
where my brother-in-law appears to have kept all his papers, hoping to
find the will."

"Is it not cruel to think of all this wealth passing away from us?"
cried the little woman, in a tearful tone.

"I do not suppose that John Liddell was wealthy," said Mrs. Liddell. "He
was very careful of what he had, but it does not follow that he had a
great deal."

"Oh, nonsense! My dear Mrs. Liddell, you only say that to keep us quiet.
Misers always have heaps of money. What do you say, Katherine?"

"That from all I saw I should say he was not rich. He never mentioned
large sums of money, or--"

"I do not mind you," interrupted the young widow. "You always affect to
despise money."

"Indeed I do not, Ada. I am only afraid of thinking too much of it."
Katherine perceived that her mother had wisely abstained from telling
the whole circumstances to this most impulsive young person.

"And do you mean to say," pursued Mrs. Frederic, who could hardly keep
still, so great was her excitement, "that the horrid lawyer is rummaging
through the old man's papers all alone? You ought to be present, Mrs.
Liddell. You don't know what tricks he may play. He may put a will in
his own favor in some drawer. It is very weak not to have insisted on
being present, and shows such indifference to our interests!"

"I am not afraid of Mr. Newton forging a will," said Mrs. Liddell,
smiling; "and I greatly fear that whoever may profit by the old man's
last testament, we will not. But I assure you Mr. Newton did ask me to
assist in the search, and I declined. Indeed I aske