appreciated and respected his
feelings, and accepted the condition. From that moment I have not written
to him, nor shall I ever write to him, and I shall never go near him so
long as he is alive. As I said, he is of advanced age, and it is
impossible that he can long survive. When his demise takes place my
circumstances will, I believe, be satisfactory."

"Did your uncle say how much he would leave you?" asked Mrs. Archibald.

"No, madam," returned the other, "he did not, but I feel sure that the sum
will be measured by his satisfaction in knowing that his existence is
entirely freed from me."

"Really," said Mrs. Archibald, "there is nothing about you so indefinite
as your prospects."

"And it seems horrible to me," said Margery, "to be hoping that some one
may die in order that you may be better off, for, as you want money so
much, you must hope that your uncle will die."

The bishop smiled and rose. "And now," said he, "I suppose I must go to
prepare the dinner at Camp Roy. There is nobody but myself to eat it, but
I have assumed the duty, and it must be performed. Good-morning. By your
leave, I shall look in upon you again."

Mrs. Archibald had a mind to ask him to stay and dine with them, but
having noticed an unfriendly expression on the face of Martin when his
gloomy walk brought him in her direction, she thought it would not be wise
to do so.

CHAPTER XI

MARGERY TAKES THE OARS

After dinner Mrs. Archibald prepared herself for a nap, the most
delightful thing she could think of during the warm hours of such a day.
Margery, after seeing the elder lady comfortably disposed in the shady
sitting-room of the cabin, went out-of-doors with no doubt in her mind as
to what would be for her the most delightful thing to do. She would take a
row on the lake all by herself.

She went down to the boat, which was partly drawn up on the beach and
fastened to a heavy stake. But when she reached it she was disgusted to
find that the chain was secured to the stake by a padlock. The oars were
in the boat, and she could easily have pushed it into the water, but she
could not set it free without the key to the padlock.

"I do believe," she exclaimed, "that the will of that horrid Mr. Sadler is
like gas. It goes everywhere, even to the tops of the houses and under the
beds." But she did not give up her intention. She tried to detach the
chain from the boat, but finding this impossible, she thought of going for