arry either of my cousins. If
Jane Melville is not my cousin, marrying her, and restoring her to the
property, which she has a better right to than I have--should not
invalidate my right by this will."

"Oh, that is a very different affair," said the Deaf and Dumb delegate.
"You want to marry Miss Melville, and to keep the estate too."

"Yes, if I can legally. I know that if Mr. Hogarth was alive at this
day, and could see this confession, he would believe it, and he would
no longer see any bar to my marriage with his niece. If he could see
how well and how bravely his nieces have battled with the world he
would require no further trial of their fortitude or patience."

"We would never think of disturbing you in possession of Cross Hall, so
long as you fulfil the conditions of the will," said the delegate from
the Blind Asylum.

"Certainly, you need never think of it, for you cannot," said
MacFarlane.

"But such a step as you contemplate is so flagrant a violation of the
spirit and purport of Mr. Hogarth's will--for, right or wrong, he never
meant Jane Melville to be mistress of Cross Hall--that we must claim
our just rights. This confession, given with the hope of extorting
money from the supposed heirs of Mr. Hogarth, is worthless,
particularly considering the character of the person who makes it. I
think you have no case whatever: do not you agree with me?" said the
director of the Deaf and Dumb Asylum--one who took the greatest
possible interest in the working and the prosperity of that charity,
the funds of which were rather at a low ebb at this time. "We cannot be
supposed to be actuated by selfish motives; we are perfectly
disinterested trustees for great public interests; but if property is
left to these institutions, we would be wanting in our duty if we did
not claim it."

The other four directors took the same view of the case. None of them
would agree to leave Francis unmolested, if he took the step he
meditated.

"But you observe," said Francis, "that this will has been the cause of
great injustice. In the first place, Mr. Hogarth's two nieces had been
brought up as his heirs, and they were left to struggle with
difficulties and hardships which were harder and more severe than any
man has to go through--and for which the education their uncle had
given them had not made them more fitted. In the second place, he left
the property to me as supposing me to be his son. If this confession is
true, I am