meanour and affection of the noble young lady.

"Dear Ethel," I said, "did I not say I would go to the end of the world
with you--and won't I go to Lincoln's Inn?"

A cab was straightway sent for, and in another half-hour we were in the
presence of the courtly little old Mr. Luce in his chambers in Lincoln's
Inn Fields.

He knew the late Mrs. Newcome's handwriting at once. He remembered
having seen the little boy at the Hermitage, had talked with Mr. Newcome
regarding his son in India, and had even encouraged Mrs. Newcome in her
idea of leaving some token of goodwill to the latter. "I was to have
dined with your grandmamma on the Saturday, with my poor wife. Why,
bless my soul! I remember the circumstance perfectly well, my dear young
lady. There can't be a doubt about the letter, but of course the bequest
is no bequest at all, and Colonel Newcome has behaved so ill to your
brother that I suppose Sir Barnes will not go out of his way to benefit
the Colonel."

"What would you do, Mr. Luce?" asks the young lady.

"H'm! And pray why should I tell you what I should do under the
circumstances?" replied the little lawyer. "Upon my word, Miss Newcome,
I think I should leave matters as they stand. Sir Barnes and I, you
are aware, are not the very best of friends--as your father's, your
grandmother's old friend and adviser, your own too, my dear young lady,
I and Sir Barnes Newcome remain on civil terms. But neither is over much
pleased with the other, to say the truth; and, at any rate, I cannot
be accused--nor can any one else that I know of--of being a very warm
partisan of your brother's. But candidly, were his case mine--had I a
relation who had called me unpleasant names, and threatened me I don't
know with what, with sword and pistol--who had put me to five or six
thousand pounds' expense in contesting an election which I had lost,--I
should give him, I think, no more than the law obliged me to give him;
and that, my dear Miss Newcome, is not one farthing."

"I am very glad you say so," said Miss Newcome, rather to my
astonishment.

"Of course, my dear young lady; and so you need not be alarmed at
showing your brother this document. Is not that the point about which
you came to consult me? You wished that I should prepare him for the
awful disclosure, did you not? You know, perhaps, that he does not like
to part with his money, and thought the appearance of this note might
agitate him? It has been a long time comi