d woman like me to make new
friends."

"Well, it certainly won't belong to me."

"I wish it did, with all my heart. But even then, I would not live
here. I have had too many troubles here to wish to see more."

"That shall be just as you like, Lady Scatcherd; but you will
be surprised to hear that the place will--at least I think it
will--belong to a friend of yours: to one to whom you have been very
kind."

"And who is he, doctor? Won't it go to some of those Americans? I am
sure I never did anything kind to them; though, indeed, I did love
poor Mary Scatcherd. But that's years upon years ago, and she is dead
and gone now. Well, I begrudge nothing to Mary's children. As I have
none of my own, it is right they should have the money. It has not
made me happy; I hope it may do so to them."

"The property will, I think, go to Mary Scatcherd's eldest child. It
is she whom you have known as Mary Thorne."

"Doctor!" And then Lady Scatcherd, as she made the exclamation, put
both her hands down to hold her chair, as though she feared the
weight of her surprise would topple her off her seat.

"Yes; Mary Thorne--my Mary--to whom you have been so good, who loves
you so well; she, I believe, will be Sir Roger's heiress. And it was
so that Sir Roger intended on his deathbed, in the event of poor
Louis's life being cut short. If this be so, will you be ashamed to
stay here as the guest of Mary Thorne? She has not been ashamed to be
your guest."

But Lady Scatcherd was now too much interested in the general tenor
of the news which she had heard to care much about the house which
she was to inhabit in future. Mary Thorne, the heiress of Boxall
Hill! Mary Thorne, the still living child of that poor creature who
had so nearly died when they were all afflicted with their early
grief! Well; there was consolation, there was comfort in this. There
were but three people left in the world that she could love: her
foster-child, Frank Gresham--Mary Thorne, and the doctor. If the
money went to Mary, it would of course go to Frank, for she now knew
that they loved each other; and if it went to them, would not the
doctor have his share also; such share as he might want? Could she
have governed the matter, she would have given it all to Frank; and
now it would be as well bestowed.

Yes; there was consolation in this. They both sat up more than half
the night talking over it, and giving and receiving explanations. If
only the council of