me--I had rather believe the latter--left in my hands on that day."
And he drew from his pocket the will which had been read. "You spoke
of throwing it into Chancery, and there would be scope for a century of
Chancery business here. But I choose rather to respect the honour and
unity of the family. Therefore, with my wife's entire consent in her
presence, Anne's and yours, I here do what my father, had he lived,
would certainly have done."

He took up the codicil, separated it from the will to which it was
fastened by seals, and quietly, as if it had been a fragment of
worthless paper, put it into the fire.

"Now, Frederick, the original will stands."

Frederick sat motionless. He seemed hardly to believe the evidence of
his own eyes. He watched the curling, crackling paper with a sort of
childish curiosity. When at last it was completely destroyed, he shut
his eyes with a great sigh of satisfaction.

Miss Valery softly touched him. "Major Harper, every brother would not
have acted thus."

"No, indeed. Just Heavens, no!" he cried, as the whole fact burst on
him, touching his impressible nature to the quick. "My dear Nathanael!
My dear Agatha! God bless you both."

He wrung their hands fervently, and walked to the window, strongly
affected. The husband and wife remained silent. Anne Valery lay on her
sofa, and smoothed her thin fingers one over the other with a soft,
inward smile.

"How nobly you both act towards me! and I--how have I acted towards
you?" said the elder brother, in deep and real compunction. "I would
give half I possess to undo what has been done, and all through my
cursed folly and weakness. Do you know that I have lost every penny of
your fortune, Agatha?"

"Mr. Grimes told me so lately."

"What, only lately? Did you not know before? Did not your husband"--

"No," she cried, eagerly. "My husband never betrayed you, even by a
single word. I am glad he did not. I had far rather he had broken my
heart than his own honour."

Anne turned to look at the young face, flushed with feeling; and her
own, caught something of the glow, though still she spoke not.

"But," said Major Harper, eagerly, addressing his sister-in-law--for
Nathanael sat in one of those passive moods which those who knew him
well alone could interpret--"but my honour must not be broken either. I
must redeem all I lost; and I will, to the very last farthing. Only wait
a little, and you shall have no cause to blame me, my poor