--he refuses to consider it his--until another year, until
you were of age, at least. And there was Steve. You know, Caroline, that
money and what it brought was spoiling Steve. He has never been so much
a man as during the past year, when he thought himself poor. But your
uncle has planned for him as well as for you and, when he believes the
time has come, he--"

"Please," she interrupted, falteringly; "please don't say any more. Let
me think. Oh, please let me think, Mr. Sylvester.... You say that Uncle
Elisha intends giving us all that father took from him? All of it?"

"Yes, all. He considers himself merely your guardian still and will
accept only his expenses from the estate."

"But--but it is wonderful!"

"Yes, it is. But I have learned to think him a wonderful man."

She shook her head.

"It is wonderful!" she repeated, brokenly. "Even though we cannot take
it, it is wonderful."

"What? Cannot take it?"

"Of course not! Do you suppose that either my brother or I will take the
fortune that our father stole--yes, _stole_ from him? After he has been
living almost in poverty all these years and we in luxury--on _his_
money? Of course we shall not take it!"

"But, Caroline, I imagine you will have to take it. I understand your
feelings, but I think he will compel you to take it."

"I shall _not_!" she sprang to her feet. "Of course I shall not! Never!
never!"

"What's that you're never goin' to take, Caroline? Measles? or another
trip down in these parts? I hope 'tain't the last, 'cause I've been
cal'latin' you'd like it well enough to come again."

Caroline turned. So did Sylvester. Captain Elisha was standing in the
doorway, his hand on the knob. He was smiling broadly, but as he looked
at the two by the fire he ceased to smile.

"What's all this?" he asked, suspiciously. "Caroline, what--Sylvester,
what have you been tellin' her?"

Neither answered at once. The captain looked from one to the other.

"Well, what's up?" he demanded. "What's the matter?"

The lawyer shrugged his shoulders.

"What's up?" he repeated. "Humph! well, I should say the jig was up. The
murder's out. The cat is no longer in the bag. That's about the size of
it."

"Sylvester!" Caroline had never seen her uncle thoroughly angry before;
"Sylvester," he cried, "have you--Have you dast to tell her what you
shouldn't? Didn't you promise me? If you told that girl, I'll--I'll--"

His niece stepped forward. "Hush, Uncle Elisha,