u always lived, and what can you tell us of her
other relatives and connections?"

"We have always been friends, and I can tell you all that is generally
known of the two or three remaining persons of her blood and kindred.
They are, first, my mother and myself, who, as I have before said, live
in Utica, where I am connected with the dress-making establishment of
Madame Trebelle; and, secondly, a nephew of hers, the son of a favorite
brother, whom she has always supported, and to whom she has frequently
avowed her intention of leaving her accumulated savings."

"The name of this gentleman and his place of residence?"

"His name is Mansell--Craik Mansell--and he lives in Buffalo, where he
has a situation of some trust in the large paper manufactory of
Harrison, Goodman, & Chamberlin."

Buffalo! Mr. Byrd gave an involuntary start, and became, if possible,
doubly attentive.

The coroner's questions went on.

"Do you know this young man?"

"Yes, sir. He has been several times to our house in the course of the
last five years."

"What can you tell us of his nature and disposition, as well as of his
regard for the woman who proposed to benefit him so materially by her
will?"

"Well, sir," returned Miss Firman, "it is hard to read the nature and
feelings of any man who has much character, and Craik Mansell has a good
deal of character. But I have always thought him a very honest and
capable young man, who might do us credit some day, if he were allowed
to have his own way and not be interfered with too much. As for his
feelings toward his aunt, they were doubtless those of gratitude, though
I have never heard him express himself in any very affectionate terms
toward her, owing, no doubt, to a natural reticence of disposition which
has been observable in him from childhood."

"You have, however, no reason to believe he cherished any feelings of
animosity toward his benefactress?" continued the coroner, somewhat
carelessly, "or possessed any inordinate desire after the money she was
expecting to leave him at her death?"

"No, sir. Both having minds of their own, they frequently disagreed,
especially on business matters; but there was never any bitterness
between them, as far as I know, and I never heard him say any thing
about his expectations one way or the other. He is a man of much natural
force, of strong, if not violent, traits of character; but he has too
keen a sense of his own dignity to intimate the existe