the good luck to suggest the paper-mill, and it
was a success, and Lady Ogram at once had a great opinion of me. From
that day--she tells me--the thought grew in her mind that, instead of
devoting all her wealth, by will, to definite purposes, she would leave
a certain portion of it to _me_, to be used by me for purposes of
public good. I, in short"--Constance smiled nervously--"was to be sole
and uncontrolled trustee of a great fund, which would be used, after
her death, just as it might have been had she gone on living. The idea
is rather fine, it seems to me; it could only have originated in a mind
capable of very generous thought, generous in every sense of the word.
It implied remarkable confidence, such as few people, especially few
women, are capable of. It strikes me as rather pathetic, too--the
feeling that she would continue to live in another being, not a mere
inheritor of her money, but a true representative of her mind, thinking
and acting as she would do, always consulting her memory, desiring her
approval. Do you see what I mean?"

"Of course I do," answered Dyce, meditatively. "Yes, it's fine. It
increases my respect for our friend."

"I have always respected her," said Constance, "and I am sorry now that
I did not respect her more. Often she has irritated me, and in bad
temper I have spoken thoughtlessly. I remember that letter I wrote you,
before you first came to Rivenoak; it was silly, and, I'm afraid,
rather vulgar."

"Nothing of the kind," interposed Lashmar. "It was very clever. You
couldn't be vulgar if you tried."

"Have you the letter still?"

"Of course I have."

"Then do me the kindness to destroy it--will you?"

"If you wish."

"I do, seriously. Burn the thing, as soon as you get home."

"Very well."

They avoided each-other's look, and there was a rather long pause.

"I'll go on with my story," said Constance, in a voice still under
studious control. "All this happened when Lady Ogram thought she had no
living relative. One fine day, Mr. Kerchever came down with news of
Miss Tomalin, and straightway the world was altered. Lady Ogram had a
natural heiress, and one in whom she delighted. Everything had to be
reconsidered. The great hospital became a dream. She wanted May Tomalin
to be rich, very rich, to marry brilliantly. I have always suspected
that Lady Ogram looked upon her life as a sort of revenge on the
aristocratic class for the poverty and ignorance of her own people;