mself to any remarks at
all. At last he said,

"I think, my lord, you are right. Helen's no bonnie, but she is a rare
creature, with the head of a man and the heart of a woman. She is worth
all her brothers put together, and, under the circumstances, I believe
you could not do better than make her your heiress."

"I am glad you think so," was the brief answer. Though, by the
expression of the earl's face, Mr. Menteith clearly saw that, whether he
had thought it or not, the result would have been just the same. He
smiled a little to himself, but he did not dispute the matter. He knew
that one of the best qualities the earl possessed--most blessed and
useful to him, as it is to every human being--was the power of making
up his own mind, and acting upon it with that quiet resolution which is
quite distinct from obstinacy--obstinacy, usually the last
strong-hold of cowards, and the blustering self-defense of fools.

"There is but one objection to your plan, Lord Cairnforth. Miss
Cardross is young--twenty-six, I think."

"Twenty-five and a half."

"She may not remain always Miss Cardross. She may marry; and we can not
tell what sort of man her husband may be, or how fit to be trusted with
so large a property."

"So good a woman is not likely to choose a man unworthy of her," said
Lord Cairnforth, after a pause. "Still, could not my fortune be settled
upon herself as a life-rent, to descend intact to her heirs--that is,
her children?"

"My dear lord, how you must have thought over every thing!"

"You forget, my friend, I have nothing to do but to sit thinking."

There was a sad intonation in the voice which affected Mr. Menteith
deeply. He made no remark, but busied himself in drawing up the will,
which Lord Cairnforth seemed nervously anxious should be completed that
very day.

"For, suppose any thing should happen--if I died this night, for
instance! No, let what is done be done as soon as possible, and as
privately."

"You wish, then, the matter to be kept private?" asked Mr. Menteith.

"Yes."

So in the course of the next few hours the will was drawn up. It was
somewhat voluminous with sundry small legacies, no one being forgotten
whom the earl desired to benefit or thought needed his help; but the
bulk of his fortune he left unreservedly to Helen Cardross. Malcolm and
another servant were called in as witnesses, and the earl saying to them
with a cheerful smile "that he was making his will,