that; He would not take
him from me, too!"

"Don't take on so, Miss Anita, dear," the faithful Ellen murmured, as
she deftly smoothed the girl's hair and rearranged her gown; "the
little man acts more as if he had a fine piece of gossip to pass
on--fidgeting about like an old woman, he is. Begging your pardon,
Miss, I know he is the minister, of course, and I ought to show him
more respect, but he forever reminds me of a fat black pigeon."

The remarks of the privileged old servant fell upon deaf, unheeding
ears. Anita, sobbing softly beneath her breath, flew down to the
drawing-room, where the pompous black-cloaked figure rose at her
entrance. But--was it purely Anita's fancy or had some indefinable
change actually taken place in the manner of her spiritual adviser?
The rather close-set eyes seemed to the girl to gleam somewhat coldly
upon her, and although he took both her hands in his in quick,
fatherly greeting, his hand-clasp appeared all at once to be lacking
in warmth.

"My poor child, my poor Anita!" he began unctuously, but she
interrupted him.

"What is it, Dr. Franklin? Has something happened to Ramon?" she asked
swiftly. "Please tell me! Now, without delay! Don't keep me in
suspense. I can tell by your face, your manner, that a new misfortune
has come to me! Does it concern Ramon?"

"Oh, no; it is not Mr. Hamilton. You need have no fears for him,
Anita. I have come upon a business matter--a matter connected with
your dear father's estate."

Anita motioned him to a chair. Seating herself opposite, she gazed at
him inquiringly.

"The settlement of the estate? Oh, the lawyers are attending to that,
I believe." Anita spoke a little coldly. Had Dr. Franklin come already
to inquire about a possible legacy for St. James'?

She was ashamed of the thought the next moment, when he said gently,
"Yes, but there is something which I must tell you. It has been
requested that I do so. It is a delicate matter to discuss with you,
but surely no one is more fitted to speak to you than I."

"Certainly, Doctor, I understand." She leaned forward eagerly.

"My dear, you know the whole country, the whole world at large, has
always considered your father to have been a man of great wealth."

"Yes. My father's charities alone, as you are aware, unostentatiously
as they were conducted, would have tended to give that impression.
Then his tremendous business interests--"

"Anita, at the moment of your father's death he