red's
grandfather had made fools of themselves, and that the consequences were
irremediable save by Fred's unaided effort. Such vicissitudes of blood,
and the social contrasts resulting therefrom, are common enough in the
history of families in democratic communities.

Old Ebenezer's will left the residue of his estate, reckoned at some
fifteen thousand pounds, to Meshach and Hannah as joint tenants with the
remainder absolutely to the survivor of them. By this arrangement, which
suited them excellently since they had always lived together, though
neither could touch the principal of their joint property during their
joint lives, the survivor had complete freedom to dispose of everything.
Both Meshach and Hannah had made a will in sole favour of John.

'Yes,' John said again, 'he's altered it in favour of young Ryley. David
Dain told me the other day. Uncle told Dain he might tell me.'

'Why has he altered it?' Leonora asked aloud at last.

John shook his head. 'Why does Uncle Meshach do anything?' He spoke
with sarcastic irritation. 'I suppose he's taken a sudden fancy for
Susan's child, after ignoring him all these years.'

'And has Aunt Hannah altered her will, too?'

'No. I'm all right in that quarter.'

'Then if your Aunt Hannah lives longest, you'll still come in for
everything, just as if your Uncle Meshach hadn't altered his will?'

'Yes. But Aunt Hannah won't live for ever. And Uncle Meshach will. And
where shall I be if she dies first?' He went on in a different tone. 'Of
course one of 'em's bound to die soon. Uncle's sixty-four if he's a day,
and the old lady's a year older. And I want money.'

'Do you, Jack, really?' she said. Long ago she had suspected it, though
John never stinted her. Once more the solid house and their comfortable
existence seemed to shiver and be engulfed.

'By the way, Nora,' he burst out with sudden bright animation, 'I've
been so occupied to-day I forgot to wish you many happy returns. And
here's the usual. I hadn't got it on me this morning.'

He kissed her and gave her a ten-pound note.

'Oh! thanks, Jack!' she said, glancing at the note with a factitious
curiosity to hide her embarrassment.

'You're good-looking enough yet!' he exclaimed as he gazed at her.

'He wants something out of me. He wants something out of me,' she
thought as she gave him a smile for his compliment. And this idea that
he wanted something, that circumstances should have forced him into the
p