as was her custom, to kiss him
good-morning before he should get up, she found nothing but his body,
still warm, and with the face still wearing the happy smile with which
his spirit had impressed it in taking his heavenward flight.

Her screams desecrated the holy room of death and brought all the
household to her presence.

When they discovered the cause of the girl's wild grief, Mrs. Fanning
and Laura Lytton together forced her from the room and took her to her
own chamber, where they set themselves to soothe her.

Joseph Brent, himself overcome with grief at the sudden loss of one who
had proved himself so warm a friend, set out on horseback to Wendover to
fetch the family physician and the minister.

They were useless to the departed, of course, but they might be of some
service to the bereaved ones left behind.

So Mr. Lyle and Dr. Willet returned with Mr. Brent, and remained at Blue
Cliff Hall until after all was over.

And thus it happened that within one fortnight there were two funerals
at Blue Cliffs.

On the day after that upon which the remains of Beresford Jones were
laid in the family vault his will was opened and read to his relatives.

With the exception of a few legacies left to friends and servants he
bequeathed the whole of his real estate and personal property
exclusively and unconditionally to his beloved granddaughter, Electra
Coroni.

And he appointed his esteemed friends, Stephen Lyle and Joseph Brent,
joint executors of the will, trustees of his estate, and guardians of
his heiress.

And to each of these executors he left a legacy of ten thousand dollars.

Folded within the will was an informal letter addressed to his surviving
friends, and requesting that no mourning should be worn for him, no
wedding deferred, no innocent pleasure delayed on his account, for that
death was only a higher step in life, and that which to him would be a
great gain and glory must not seem to them a loss and gloom.

Electra, with her gusty nature, wept vehemently during the reading of
this will and letter.

But there was one present who, though he betrayed no emotion, was much
more deeply moved than any one present. This was Joseph Brent.

In being appointed guardian, trustee and executor of the will, he had
just received from Dr. Beresford Jones the greatest proof of esteem and
confidence that any one man could receive from another. And when he
thought of this in connection with his own woful past