ou sent for the
same man to a case of illness, he'd go unhesitatingly, and accept
his guinea as the due recompense of his trouble. This is duty, or
professional instinct, or something else with a fine name, but it's not
gold-seeking. There now, make out my meaning out of my parable, as best
you may. And, after all, papa, I'm not quite sure that I intend to marry
him."

"Why, what do you mean?"

"Oh, pray don't be frightened. I merely meant to say that there was an
eventuality which might rescue me from this necessity. I have told
you nothing about it hitherto, dear papa, because I inherit your own
wholesome dislike to entertaining my friends with what may turn out mere
moonshine. Now, however, that the project has a certain vitality in it,
you shall hear it."

Holmes drew his chair close to her, and, laying down his pipe, prepared
to listen with all attention.

"If I hate anything," said she, half peevishly, "it is to talk of the
bygone, and utter the names of people that I desire never to hear again.
It can't be helped, however; and here goes. After the events in Jersey,
you remember I left the island and came abroad. There were all sorts
of confusion about H.'s affairs. The law had taken possession of his
papers, placed seals on everything, and resisted my application to
remove them, on the vexatious plea that I was not his wife, and could
not administer as such. A long litigation ensued, and at last my
marriage was admitted, and then I took out probate and received a few
thousand pounds, and some little chance property; the bulk of his
fortune was, however, in America, and settled on Clara by a will,
which certain writings showed was in the possession of her uncle, now
nominated to be her guardian, a certain Harvey Winthrop, of Norfolk,
Virginia. I opened a correspondence with him, and suggested the
propriety of leaving Clara with me, as I had always regarded her as my
own child, and hinting at the appropriateness of some allowance for
her maintenance and education. He replied with promptitude and much
kindness, expressed great sympathy for my late loss, and made a very
liberal settlement for Clara.

"All went on peaceably and well for two years, when one morning came
a letter from Winthrop of a most alarming nature. Without any positive
charge, it went on to say that he had, for reasons which his delicacy
would prefer to spare me, decided on himself assuming the guardianship
of his niece, and that if I would