ars
ago--together with a doctor's certificate as to my mental soundness
at the time--is in the hands of the Council. Any attempt to unmake
this disposition of my fortune would be fraught with failure.

"With sincere hopes for your future welfare,

"Your uncle,

"ANDREW HENDERSON."

For a space John stood pale and rigid, making no attempt to reread the
letter; then all at once one of those rare and curious upheavals of
feeling that shake men to their souls seized upon him. The blood rushed
back into his face in a dark wave; the rose-colored mist that had
floated before his vision flamed suddenly to red; the same implacable
rage that, years ago, had impelled his grandfather to disinherit his
favorite son swelled in his heart. All ideas, all considerations, save
one, became blurred and indistinct; but this one idea rode him, spurred
him to a frenzy of desire. It was the blind, instinctive, human wish to
wreak his loss and disappointment upon some tangible, visible object.

With a dazed movement he turned to the bed; but only the huddled,
impassive figure beneath the coverlet met his gaze. For more than a
minute he stared at it helplessly; then a new thought shot across his
mind and his lips drew together in a thin, hard line. The road to
revenge lay open before him! With an abrupt gesture he stepped forward
and pulled back the counterpane.

In the yellow lamp-light the thin face of the dead man had an ashen hue;
the half-opened eyes and the prominent teeth, from which the lips had
partly receded, confronted him grewsomely. But the force of his
disappointment and rage was something before which mere human horror was
swept aside. With another rapid movement, he stooped over the bed and
unclasped the thin gold chain that hung round the dead man's neck,
letting the metal symbol and the long, thin key slip from it into his
hand. Turning to the dressing-table, he caught up a lamp; hurried from
the room; and, descending the stairs, passed into the study.

To his excited glance the place looked strangely undisturbed. Though the
frames of the windows rattled in the gale, the interior arrangements
were as precise and bare as usual; the fireless grate stared at him
coldly, and against the whitewashed wall the heavy iron safe stood out
like an accentuated blot of shadow. Impelled by his one dominating idea,
he crossed without an instant's hesitation to the door of