en some contribution toward it. He
told himself vainly that he could not help it, that the documents were
in his charge only until he was ordered to give them up, and that it was
no concern of his to anticipate what might become of them. His position
had truly been difficult, but still he might have escaped from it with
clearer conscience. His duty was to cast away drawing-room manners, and
warn Miss Yordas that the document she hated so was not her own to deal
with, but belonged (in equity at least) to those who were entitled under
it, and that to take advantage of her wrongful possession, and destroy
the foe, was a crime, and, more than that, a shabby one. The former
point might not have stopped her; but the latter would have done so
without fail, for her pride was equal to her daring. But poor Mr.
Jellicorse had felt the power of a will more resolute than his own, and
of grand surroundings and exalted style; and his desire to please had
confused, and thereby overcome, his perception of the right. But now
these reflections were all too late, and the weary brain found comfort
only in the shelter of its night-cap.

If a little slip had brought a very good man to unhappiness, how much
harder was it for Sir Duncan Yordas, who had committed no offense at
all! No Yordas had ever cared a tittle for tattle--to use their own
expression--but deeper mischief than tattle must ensue, unless great
luck prevented it. The brother knew well that his sister inherited much
of the reckless self-will which had made the name almost a by-word,
and which had been master of his own life until large experience of
the world, and the sense of responsible power, curbed it. He had little
affection for that sister left--for she had used him cruelly, and even
now was imbittering the injury--but he still had some tender feeling for
the other, who had always been his favorite. And though cut off, by his
father's act, from due headship of the family, he was deeply grieved, in
this more enlightened age, to expose their uncivilized turbulence.

Therefore he spurred his willing horse against the hill, and up the
many-winding ruggedness of road, hoping, at every turn, to descry in the
distance the vehicle carrying that very plaguesome box. If his son had
been there, he might have told him, on the ridge of Stormy Gap (which
commanded high and low, rough and smooth, dark and light, for miles
ahead), that Jordas was taking the final turn, by the furthest glea