er supper fresh logs were heaped on the fire, and the lawyer sat in a
cosey arm-chair, and took out his diary, and several papers, as
methodically as if he was going to lay the case by counsel before a
judge of assize.

Kate sat opposite him with her gray eyes beaming on him all the time,
and searching for the hidden meaning of everything he told her. During
the recital which follows, her color often came and went, but those
wonderful eyes never left the narrator's face a moment.

They put the attorney on his mettle, and he elaborated the matter more
than I should have done: he articulated his topics; marked each salient
fact by a long pause. In short, he told his story like an attorney, and
not like a romancist. I cannot help that, you know; I'm not Procrustes.

MR. HOUSEMAN'S LITTLE NARRATIVE.

"Wednesday, the seventeenth day of February, at about one of the clock,
called on me at my place of business Mr. Griffith Gaunt, whom I need not
here describe, inasmuch as his person and place of residence are well
known to the court--what am I saying?--I mean, well known to yourself,
Mistress Kate.

* * * * *

"The said Griffith, on entering my room, seemed moved, and I might say
distempered, and did not give himself time to salute me and receive my
obeisance, but addressed me abruptly and said as follows: 'Mr. Houseman,
I am come to make my will.'"

("Dear me!" said Kate: then blushed, and was more on her guard.)

* * * * *

"I seated the young gentleman, and then replied, that his resolution
aforesaid did him credit, the young being as mortal as the old. I said
further, that many disasters had happened, in my experience, owing to
the obstinacy with which men, in the days of their strength, shut their
eyes to the precarious tenure under which all sons of Adam hold
existence; and so, many a worthy gentleman dies in his sins,--and, what
is worse, dies intestate.

* * * * *

"But the said Griffith interrupted me with some signs of impatience, and
asked me bluntly, would I draw his will, and have it executed on the
spot.

* * * * *

"I assented, generally; but I requested him, by way of needful
preliminary, to obtain for me a copy of Mr. Charlton's will, under
which, as I have always understood, the said Griffith inherits whatever
real estate he hath to bequeath.

* * *