"Were there any strangers?"

"Several--to me," said Dalzell.

"Did you observe no one in particular?"

"Yes, a gentleman from Edinburgh, said to be a PROTEGE of your uncle's,
who took rather a prominent place on account of there being no male
relative surviving."

"Have you heard," said Jane, with an effort--"have you heard anything
of the will?"

"Nothing whatever--did not think it proper or delicate to inquire,
though I saw Mr. MacFarlane after it had been read. It is a matter of
no consequence to me how Mr. Hogarth has left his property. My feelings
will be quite the same towards----"

"Stop," said Jane; "my uncle has left his entire fortune to this
stranger from Edinburgh, who is his son by a private marriage. Elsie
and I have had an education, and must make the best we can of it."

"Miss Melville, this is incredible--quite incredible. You are merely
trying me. Mr. Hogarth was incapable of such madness and injustice. It
is not treating me well to play upon me in this way."

"In proof of what I say, here is a certified copy of the will--the
final will--executed six weeks ago, when, as you know, my uncle was
perfectly well both in body and mind. It is incontestable."

The bewildered young man tried to read the paper put into his hand, but
he could not follow the written words. Jane's sad face and her manner
convinced him, however, that she was telling him the truth.

"Now," said Jane kindly, "you have talked a great deal of nonsense to
me when my position was very different; but I am quite aware that
things are altogether changed. I will not feel at all hurt or angry
about it. We part perfectly good friends. But you cannot afford to
marry a wife without money, and I should be sorry to be a burden to any
man."

William Dalzell looked at the girl he had fancied himself in love with
for the last few months, and felt that his love had not been of a very
deep or absorbing character. If the two girls had been equal favourites
of their uncle's, his choice would have fallen on Elsie, who was
prettier, more elegant, more yielding, and, as he thought, more
affectionate. Her impulsive and confiding manner, her little
enthusiasms, her blunders, were to him more charming than Jane's steady
good sense and calm temper. Jane never wanted advice or assistance; she
was too independent in mind, and too robust in body, to care much about
little attentions, though she had become accustomed to his in the
course of time, and a