eed, he could not be said ever to have lost them.

The family sat, awed by their father's deed; to question which never
struck them for a moment--legal chicanery was not rife at Kingcombe
Holm. They looked at the disinherited brother with a sort of shrinking
wonder, as if he had done some great unknown wickedness. He might have
sat there ever so long, conscience-stricken and stupified, but this
family gaze stung him into violence.

"I say it is a cheat--how or by whom contrived I know not--but it is a
cheat. My father loved me--the only one of you who ever did. If there
was a coolness between us, he forgave me when he died. You all saw
that."

There was no denying it. Every one remembered how the father's last
dying look of love had been on his eldest son. Again the tide of family
feeling changed. They threw doubtful glances towards Nathanael, except
his wife. But she drew closer to him, and trembled and doubted no more.

He stood, meeting the eyes of all his family. In his aspect was great
distress, but entire composure--not a shadow of hesitation or confusion.
Nor, on the other hand, was there any triumph. When he spoke--they
seemed expecting him to speak--his voice was low and steady:

"You know, brother, and all the rest of you know, that I have had no
hand in this matter."

"I know nothing of the sort," cried Frederick. "I only know that I have
been defrauded--disgraced.--Not by any act of my father's, or he would
not lie quiet in his grave. My father always loved me." And the quick
feeling natural to Major Harper made him hesitate--unable to proceed.
But soon he continued, vehemently:

"I will find out this. Evil speakers, malicious, underhand hypocrites,
have turned my father against me. I declare to Heaven that I never
wronged any"--

Frederick stopped--interrupted not by words, for there was perfect
silence--but by a certain quiet look of Anne Valery's, which fastened on
his face. He turned crimson--he had so much of the woman in him, though
of womanhood in its weakest form. He glanced from Miss Valery to Agatha,
and then back again.

"Anne--Anne Valery, tell me do you know anything?"

"Everything."

"You--even you!" For the moment, he cowered in such emotion as was
pitiful to see; but it passed and he grew desperate.

"I say, I will contest this will. It shall be proved invalid. My lawyer
Grimes"--

"Mr. Grimes has been here, and is now gone to America," Anne whispered.
"I urged and assisted h