up, and, glancing at the first words, exclaimed, "A
will! You found one, then?"

"Not a regularly attested will, but answers every purpose," Howard
replied, while Jack read on with lightning rapidity, understanding much
that was dark before, and guessing in part what it was to Howard to have
all his hopes swept away.

"By Jove!" he said, as he finished reading, "there was good in the old
man after all. I didn't think so when I heard Jakey's story, and saw
where his wife lived and died. We found the marriage certificate."

"You did!" Howard exclaimed, a great gladness that he had not destroyed
the paper taking possession of him. "Why didn't you write and tell me?
It would have saved me that fight with the devil."

"I don't know why I didn't," Jack replied. "I was awfully busy, and went
at once to Palatka to see if Tom Hardy left any family there, and found
he was never married. Then I went to Atlanta to find some trace of the
Browns and the Hardy plantation. The latter had been sold, the Hardys
were all gone, and the Browns, too,--killed in the war, most likely,
except one who is a street-car conductor in Boston, and I am going to
hunt him up, as I believe he was at the wedding, although he must have
been quite young. Yes, I ought to have written, and I'm sorry for you,
upon my soul. You look as if you'd had a taste of the infernal regions.
I'm glad you didn't burn it."

He took Howard's hand and held it, while he told him, very briefly, the
circumstances of their finding the certificate, of whose existence Col.
Crompton could not have known. "And, Howard," he added, "I've something
else to tell you. Eloise is to be my wife. We settled it in the train
before I knew she was a great heiress. Can't you congratulate me?" he
asked, as Howard did not speak.

"I expected it. You've got everything,--money and girl, too," Howard
said at last. "You are a lucky dog, and, whether you believe me or not,
I'd rather have the girl than the money. I asked her to marry me. Did
she tell you?"

"Of course not," Jack replied, and Howard went on, "Well, I did, and
kissed her, too!"

"Did she kiss you?" Jack asked a little sharply, and Howard replied,
"No, sir; she was madder than a hatter; you've no cause to be jealous."

"All right," Jack answered, his brow clearing. "All right. I'm more
sorry for you now than I was before. I didn't know you really cared for
her that way; but, I say, aren't you coming to dinner? The bell has rung