his mother when quite a baby, and his father seemed, strangely enough,
to have an almost unconquerable dislike towards him.

"Every one got to know presently of David Graham's sad position in his
father's own house, and also of the great affection lavished upon him by
his godmother, Lady Donaldson, who was a sister of Mr. Graham's.

"She was a lady of considerable wealth, being the widow of Sir George
Donaldson, the great distiller; but she seems to have been decidedly
eccentric. Latterly she had astonished all her family--who were rigid
Presbyterians--by announcing her intention of embracing the Roman
Catholic faith, and then retiring to the convent of St. Augustine's at
Newton Abbot in Devonshire.

"She had sole and absolute control of the vast fortune which a doting
husband had bequeathed to her. Clearly, therefore, she was at liberty
to bestow it upon a Devonshire convent if she chose. But this evidently
was not altogether her intention.

"I told you how fond she was of her deformed godson, did I not? Being a
bundle of eccentricities, she had many hobbies, none more pronounced
than the fixed determination to see--before retiring from the world
altogether--David Graham happily married.

"Now, it appears that David Graham, ugly, deformed, half-demented as he
was, had fallen desperately in love with Miss Edith Crawford, daughter
of the late Dr. Crawford, of Prince's Gardens. The young lady,
however--very naturally, perhaps--fought shy of David Graham, who, about
this time, certainly seemed very queer and morose, but Lady Donaldson,
with characteristic determination, seems to have made up her mind to
melt Miss Crawford's heart towards her unfortunate nephew.

"On October the 2nd last, at a family party given by Mr. Graham in his
fine mansion in Charlotte Square, Lady Donaldson openly announced her
intention of making over, by deed of gift, to her nephew, David Graham,
certain property, money, and shares, amounting in total value to the sum
of L100,000, and also her magnificent diamonds, which were worth
L50,000, for the use of the said David's wife. Keith Macfinlay, a lawyer
of Prince's Street, received the next day instructions for drawing up
the necessary deed of gift, which she pledged herself to sign the day of
her godson's wedding.

"A week later _The Scotsman_ contained the following paragraph:--

"'A marriage is arranged and will shortly take place between David,
younger son of Andrew Graham, Esq., of C