ll the circumstances. I want--if you will allow me--to
be made quite sure of what he really knew about us--when he sent these
orders to his lawyer. Did he know that my father had made a will, and
that he had left our fortunes to my sister and myself?"

"He did know it," said Mr. Pendril.

"Did you tell him how it happened that we are left in this helpless
position?"

"I told him that your father was entirely unaware, when he married, of
the necessity for making another will."

"And that another will would have been made, after he saw Mr. Clare, but
for the dreadful misfortune of his death?"

"He knew that also."

"Did he know that my father's untiring goodness and kindness to both of
us--"

Her voice faltered for the first time: she sighed, and put her hand
to her head wearily. Norah spoke entreatingly to her; Miss Garth spoke
entreatingly to her; Mr. Clare sat silent, watching her more and more
earnestly. She answered her sister's remonstrance with a faint smile.
"I will keep my promise," she said; "I will distress nobody." With that
reply, she turned again to Mr. Pendril; and steadily reiterated the
question--but in another form of words.

"Did Mr. Michael Vanstone know that my father's great anxiety was to
make sure of providing for my sister and myself?"

"He knew it in your father's own words. I sent him an extract from your
father's last letter to me."

"The letter which asked you to come for God's sake, and relieve him from
the dreadful thought that his daughters were unprovided for? The letter
which said he should not rest in his grave if he left us disinherited?"

"That letter and those words."

She paused, still keeping her eyes steadily fixed on the lawyer's face.

"I want to fasten it all in my mind," she said "before I go on. Mr.
Michael Vanstone knew of the first will; he knew what prevented the
making of the second will; he knew of the letter and he read the words.
What did he know of besides? Did you tell him of my mother's last
illness? Did you say that her share in the money would have been left
to us, if she could have lifted her dying hand in your presence? Did
you try to make him ashamed of the cruel law which calls girls in our
situation Nobody's Children, and which allows him to use us as he is
using us now?"

"I put all those considerations to him. I left none of them doubtful; I
left none of them out."

She slowly reached her hand to the copy of the Instructions, and slowly
f