in, and there is no saying what she may not do."

"Six months?" suggested Noel Vanstone.

"Six months, sir," rejoined Mrs. Lecount, "is the preferable time of the
two. A six months' interval from the day of your death is enough for Mr.
George. You look discomposed, sir; what is the matter?"

"I wish you wouldn't talk so much about my death," he broke out,
petulantly. "I don't like it! I hate the very sound of the word!"

Mrs. Lecount smiled resignedly, and referred to her Draft.

"I see the word 'decease' written here," she remarked. "Perhaps, Mr.
Noel, you would prefer it?"

"Yes," he said; "I prefer 'Decease.' It doesn't sound so dreadful as
'Death.'"

"Let us go on with the letter, sir."

She resumed her dictation, as follows:

"...in either of those cases, I make it a condition of his receiving
the legacy that he shall be married within the period of Six calendar
months from the day of my decease; that the woman he marries shall not
be a widow; and that his marriage shall be a marriage by Banns, publicly
celebrated in the parish church of Ossory--where he has been known from
his childhood, and where the family and circumstances of his future wife
are likely to be the subject of public interest and inquiry."

"This," said Mrs. Lecount, quietly looking up from the Draft, "is to
protect Mr. George, sir, in case the same trap is set for him which was
successfully set for you. She will not find her false character and her
false name fit quite so easily next time--no, not even with Mr. Bygrave
to help her! Another dip of ink, Mr. Noel; let us write the next
paragraph. Are you ready?"

"Yes."

Mrs. Lecount went on.

"If your nephew fails to comply with these conditions--that is to say,
if being either a bachelor or a widower at the time of my decease, he
fails to marry in all respects as I have here instructed him to marry,
within Six calendar months from that time--it is my desire that he shall
not receive the legacy, or any part of it. I request you, in the case
here supposed, to pass him over altogether; and to give the fortune left
you in my will to his married sister, Mrs. Girdlestone.

"Having now put you in possession of my motives and intentions, I come
to the next question which it is necessary to consider. If, when
you open this letter, your nephew is an unmarried man, it is clearly
indispensable that he should know of the conditions here imposed on him,
as soon, if possible, as you know of