d Jack. "When I was going into the masquerade,
I offered to hand this very old lady, who was covered with diamonds, out
of her carriage, and she was so frightened at my dress of a devil, that
she would have fallen down had it not been for Captain Wilson, who
supported her, and she was very thankful to him."

"You are right, Jack," replied the Governor, after a short pause; "that
will, I think, do. I must tell him the story of the friars, because I
swore you had something to do with it--but I'll tell him no more: leave
it all to me."

Captain Wilson returned in the afternoon, and found the Governor in the
veranda.

"I have had some talk with young Easy," said the Governor, "and he has
told me a strange story about that night, which he was afraid to tell to
everybody."

The Governor then narrated the history of the friars and the will.

"Well, but," observed Captain Wilson, "the history of that will afford
no clue to the legacy."

"No, it does not; but still, as I said, Jack had a hand in this. He
frightened the old lady as a devil, and you caught her in your arms and
saved her from falling, so he had a hand in it, you see."

"I do now remember that I did save a very dowager-like old personage
from falling at the sight of a devil, who, of course, must have been our
friend Easy."

"Well, and that accounts for the whole of it."

"A thousand doubloons for picking up an old lady!"

"Yes, why not?--have you not heard of a man having a fortune left him
for merely opening the pew-door of a church to an old gentleman?"

"Yes, but it appears so strange."

"There's nothing strange in this world, Wilson, nothing at all--we may
slave for years and get no reward, and do a trifle out of politeness and
become independent. In my opinion, this mystery is unravelled. The old
lady, for I knew the family, must have died immensely rich: she knew you
in your full uniform, and she asked your name; a heavy fall would have
been to one so fat a most serious affair; you saved her, and she has
rewarded you handsomely."

"Well," replied Captain Wilson, "as I can give no other explanation, I
suppose yours is the correct one; but it's hardly fair to take a
thousand doubloons from her relations merely for an act of civility."

"You really are quite ridiculous; the old lady owned half Murcia, to my
knowledge. It is no more to them than any one leaving you a suit of
mourning in an English legacy. I wish you joy; it will help you wi