waters of life: Angela was born.

CHAPTER XII

When the doctor had gone upstairs, Philip went into the dining-room to
eat something, only to find that food was repugnant to him; he could
scarcely swallow a mouthful. To some extent, however, he supplied its
place by wine, of which he drank several glasses. Then, drawn by a
strange fascination, he went back into the little study, and,
remembering the will, bethought himself that it might be as well to
secure it. In taking it off the table, however, a folded and much
erased sheet of manuscript was disclosed. Recognizing Bellamy's
writing, he took it up and commenced to read the draft, for it was
nothing else. Its substance was as follows.

The document began by stating that the testator's former will was
declared null and void on account of the "treacherous and
dishonourable conduct of his son Philip." It then, in brief but
sweeping terms, bequeathed and devised to trustees, of whom Philip was
not one, the unentailed property and personalty to be held by them:
firstly, for the benefit of any _son_ that might be born to the said
disinherited Philip by _his wife Hilda_--the question of daughters
being, probably by accident, passed over in silence--and failing such
issue, then to the testator's nephew, George Caresfoot, absolutely,
subject, however, to the following curious condition: Should the said
George Caresfoot, _either by deed of gift or will_, attempt to convey
the estate to his cousin Philip, or to descendants of the said Philip,
then the gift over to the said George was to be of none effect, and
the whole was to pass to some distant cousins of the testator's who
lived in Scotland. Then followed several legacies and one charge on
the estate to the extent of 1000 pounds a year payable to the
_separate_ use of the aforesaid Hilda Caresfoot for life, and
reverting at death to the holder of the estate.

In plain English, Philip was, under this draft, totally disinherited,
first in favour of his own male issue, by his wife Hilda, all mention
of daughters being omitted, and failing such issue, in favour of his
hated cousin George, who, as though to add insult to injury, was
prohibited from willing the property back either to himself or his
descendants, by whom the testator had probably understood the children
of a second marriage.

Philip read the document over twice carefully.

"Phew!" he said, "that was touch and go. Thank heavens