tate of mind. "If our suspicions
are correct," he said when he had thought over Drane's story, "as to
the date of this woman's death, and if this son of hers is
illegitimate, he has no rights at all, under the provisions of this
will, to the Hite estates. My wife, in that case, is the heir; and, by
heaven, she shall have her rights! It is not that I care so much for
the monetary value of what this Andrew Hite left. I am not prompted by
mercenary motives; for I have plenty to keep my wife and children in
comfort, nor would I covet aught that lawfully or justly belonged to
another; but I do not mean to be cheated, or to allow my wife to be
cheated, out of her just rights by the crafty schemes of this Dr.
Richard Dudley in behalf of his base-born nephew. I must say, though,
that I have considerable commiseration for this young fellow, who is, I
believe, not a party--that is, an intentional party--to this fraudulent
scheme, notwithstanding his undoubted entanglement in those political
plots of Sebastian, Wilkinson and Powers. I protest, I was never in all
my life so deceived in a man as I have been in Abner Dudley, or Logan,
if he pleases; and I flatter myself, too, upon being a pretty good
judge of character. I was much taken with him when he first came to
this community. I liked his face, his conversation, and his general
bearing, and would have taken oath that he was one to be trusted in all
things."

"We must move warily in this matter, James," was the Major's caution,
after musing awhile, "until the affair is in shape to be proven in
court. I would spare my wife all agitation, if it were possible. She is
in an extremely weak, nervous condition, and until it is absolutely
necessary to do so, I wish her to know nothing of this matter; and even
when it must be brought up in court, I want to spare her all the
details of the affair--if that can be done; for any mention of the
matter will cost her much excitement and will bring before her again
all her old troubles."

After further consultation and many admonitions from Gilcrest as to
caution and secrecy, it was agreed that the lawyer should go at once to
Centerton.

He started the next morning. Reaching there three days later, he could
find no trace of the Wheelers. Their cabin was now occupied by another
family who knew nothing of the former occupants except that they had
moved away eight years since, and that their present habitation was
supposed to be somewhere in th