ock than flesh-and-blood.

Her explosion had the effect of exasperating the little lawyer out of
his habitual attitude of conciliation.

"Madame, I can do no more than advise you in this matter. I have traced
down this child as a possible heir to the Forsyth fortune. However, you
have it in your power to will otherwise. But let me say this--not as a
lawyer but as your friend. You are growing old. Will you not find,
perhaps, more happiness in your old age, if you bring a little youth
into this melancholy old house--"

"I must ask you to withhold your kind wishes until some other time,"
interrupted Madame, dryly. "I am at present seeking your advice as a
lawyer. I have not been regardless of the fact that the House of Forsyth
must have an heir; I have been thinking of it for a long time--in fact,
that is all there is left for me to do. And, though it is exceedingly
distasteful to me, I see the justice in seeking out one of--that family.
But, it must be done in my way. My mind is quite made up to that. You
say there is a--child. I wish you to communicate with this child's
father--this relative of my husband, and inform him that I will make
this child my heir provided he can be brought to Gray Manor at once. He
will live for one year here under your guardianship. I will send for
Percival Tubbs who, you may remember, tutored my grandson. Doubtless he
is old-fogyish but from his long association with our family he knows
the Forsyth traditions and what the head of the House of Forsyth should
be. He will know whether this boy can be trained to measure up to it.
If, after a year, he does not, he must go back--to his father. I will be
fair, of course, as far as money goes. If he does--" She stopped
suddenly, her stony demeanor broken. The thin lips quivered at the
thought of that sunny south room in the great house where had been left
untouched the toys, the books, the games, the precious trophies, the
guns and racquets, golf sticks and gloves which marked each development
of her beloved grandson.

"A very fair plan," murmured the lawyer.

"You have not heard all," went on Madame Forsyth in such a strange voice
that Cornelius Allendyce looked up at her in astonishment. "I am going
away."

"You! Where?" exclaimed the man. He could not quite believe his ears.

"That I do not care to divulge." She enjoyed his amazement. "I am
yielding to a restlessness which in a younger woman you would
understand, but which in me you would