itively.

"Who's goin' to stop me?"

"The Chief Executor of the late Mr. Kingsnorth's will."

"An' who is THAT?"

"'Mr. Jerry,' Peg!"

"YOU an executor?"

"I am. Sit down--here in our midst--and know why you have been here all
the past month."

As he forced Peg gently into a chair, Mrs. Chichester and Alaric turned
indignantly on him. Mr. Hawkes moved down to listen, and, if necessary,
advise.

There was pleasure showing on one face only--on Ethel's.

She alone wanted Peg to understand her position in that house.

Since the previous night the real womanly note awakened in Ethel.

Her heart went out to Peg.

CHAPTER XVII

PEG LEARNS OF HER UNCLE'S LEGACY

Peg looked up wonderingly from the chair.

"Me cab's at the door!" she said, warningly to Jerry.

"I am sorry to insist, but you must give me a few, moments," said the
Chief Executor.

"MUST?" cried Peg.

"It is urgent," replied Jerry quietly.

"Well, then--hurry;" and Peg sat on the edge of the chair, nervously
watching "Jerry."

"Have you ever wondered at the real reason you were brought here to
this house and the extraordinary interest taken in you by relations
who, until a month ago, had never even bothered about your existence?"

"I have, indeed," Peg answered. "But whenever I've asked any one, I've
always been told it was me uncle's wish."

"And it was. Indeed, his keenest desire, just before his death, was to
atone in some way for his unkindness to your mother."

"Nothin' could do that," and Peg's lips tightened.

"That was why he sent for you."

"Sendin' for me won't bring me poor mother back to life, will it?"

"At least we must respect his intentions. He desired that you should be
given the advantages your mother had when she was a girl."

"'Ye've made yer bed; lie in it'! That was the message he sent me
mother when she was starvin'. And why? Because she loved me father.
Well, I love me father an' if he thought his money could separate us he
might just as well have let me alone. No one will ever separate us."

"In justice to yourself," proceeded Jerry, "you must know that he set
aside the sum of one thousand pounds a year to be paid to the lady who
would undertake your training."

Mrs. Chichester covered her eyes to hide the tears of mortification
that sprang readily into them.

Alaric looked at Jerry in absolute disgust.

Hawkes frowned his disapproval.

Peg sprang up and walked across to her aunt and looked