door. Mademoiselle would be glad if I could see her
for five minutes.

I went at once to the drawing-room, knowing she would be there. She was
dressed in the deepest mourning, and her face was very pale.

"I knew you would spare me a short time," she said. "I want to ask you a
question that I could not ask any one else. Of course you were present
when the will was read to-day?"

She raised her eyes to mine. I knew not what magnetism, what spell lay
in them; but no other eyes were like them. They compelled attention; a
man could no more release himself from their glance than he could fly. I
was not at all in love with her, yet those eyes held me spell-bound.

"I want you to tell me," she said, "if there was any other will.
Did--did Miles leave one?"

As she put the question to me I saw that her lips were parched and
burning, her white fingers so tightly clenched that they left great red
marks.

"No," I replied; "there was only one will, and that was Sir Barnard's."

A great calm fell over her. After some minutes she looked at me again.

"Was there any mention in that will of me?"

I told her none. Once more she raised those resistless eyes to mine.

"Then I am, indeed, alone in the world--alone and forsaken."

"Nay, nay!" I cried, eagerly; "do not say so. Clare will take care of
you."

"And you?" she asked, in a voice that must have melted an anchorite.

"I will help her--or, rather, I will take care of you both."

"What is your sister like?" she asked, eagerly. "Is she very
clever--very beautiful? Shall I be frightened at her?"

"She is the sweetest and most gentle of girls--doubly gentle from her
great affliction."

"What affliction?" she asked eagerly, "you did not tell me there was
anything the matter with her."

"She has a spinal complaint," I replied, "and is unable to move."

"Is it quite incurable?" she asked again.

"We hope not; perhaps a change of air may do something for her; but even
at the best, it will be years before she is able to go about."

"I am so sorry," she said; "so very sorry. How sad for you and for her.
I can understand why you want a companion for her; she can take no
active share in the management of a large establishment like this."

"No, no share at all. We will not decide anything until my sister comes;
but it seems to me that she will be most thankful to have you here, that
you will be more useful to her than I can say. She would not be able to
see guests, give or