o the conclusion that he had failed in
life and--you know Jean--was at once full of tenderness and compassion.
At his request she sang to him a song he had heard his mother sing, and
finished by presenting him with the song-book containing it--a somewhat
rare collection which she valued.

"This shabby old man, it seems, was one Peter Reid, a wealthy London
business man, and owner of The Rigs, born and bred in Priorsford, who
had just heard from his doctor that he had not long to live, and had
come back to his childhood's home meaning to die there. He had no
relations and few friends, and had made up his mind to leave his money
to the first person who did anything for him without thought of payment.
(He seems to have been a hard, suspicious type of man who had not
attracted kindness.) So Fate guided his steps to Jean, and this is the
result. Yes, rather far-fetched, I agree, but Fate is often like a
novelette.

"Mr. Peter Reid had meant to ask the Jardines to leave The Rigs and let
him settle there, but--there must have been a soft part somewhere in the
hard little man--he hadn't the heart to do it when he found how attached
they were to the place.

"I was at The Rigs when the lawyer's letter came. Jean as an heiress is
very funny and, at the same time, horribly touching. At first she could
think of nothing but that the lonely old man she had tried to be kind to
was dead, and wept bitterly. Then as she began to realise the fact of
the money she was aghast, suffocated with the thought of her own wealth.
She told us piteously that it wouldn't change her at all. I think the
poor child already felt the golden barrier that wealth builds round its
owners. I don't think Mr. Peter Reid was kind, though perhaps he meant
to be. Jean is such a conscientious, anxious pilgrim at any time, and
I'm afraid the wealth will hang round her neck like the Ancient
Mariner's albatross.

" ... I have been wondering, Biddy, how this will affect your chances. I
know you felt as I did how nice it would be to give Jean all the things
that she has never had and which money can buy. I admit I am horribly
disappointed about it, but I'm not at all sure that this odd trick of
fortune's won't help you. Her attitude was that marriage with you was
unthinkable; you had so much and she had so little. Well, this evens
things up. _Don't come. Don't write._ Leave her alone to try her wings.
She will want to try all sorts of schemes for helping people, and I