The Weird Sisters, Volume I (of 3)

deducting all charges and paying all expenses, the principal and interest reached the enormous sum

defeated "that ungrateful whelp," as he called his heir-presumptive. Of this distant cousin he had no knowledge whatever; he declined to listen to anything about him. Why he called him ungrateful no

, the boy, whose father had been a poor naval officer, was aged eight, having been born in 1838. The boy's father had died at sea. There could not be the shadow of

hour of the whole time with her. She had a suite of rooms for herself, where she lived with Mrs. Grant, an officer's wi

Maud never went into society, and was wholly dependent on good sympathetic little Mrs. Grant for any knowledge she might gain of the grea

u may be a great heiress one of these days; but that isn't all. He treats you as if you were a girl of twelve yet. Why, my dear, I had been out three years before I was your age,

derfully pretty. You don't know now nice

more you get to know what is of a great deal more consequence, all your defects, or at least a good many. I don't suppose

that you were blaming papa for never having given me an opport

won't have you twist things I say in that way. Y

ully, and with a trace of moisture in her large soft eyes, as thou

hand, and stroked i

eresting middle-aged woman! Now is that a proper thing in an heiress of twenty? Why, my dear, you'd have no account to give of

I do not love," said Maud, w

east idea of how they are applied, or where. I tell you I know something of the world and girls and

sed to you a stupid lout

but I afterwards knew that he was the best of th

id he

married

season?" asked Maud, with her h

how did

lout who asked me, and I thought it likely a girl only jus

hought he was stupid, and was often sorry afterwards-of

e girl who had only just come out took the man you th

ked up a

hat I say, I will say--" She paused, and looked at the sweet, half-frightened face of the girl. All at once her manner underwent a change. She drew near the girl, and putting her arm round her wa

mes in the month of April, and in May his debility became so great that he was unable to leave his bed. Other symptoms now showed themselves, and complicated the case, and so

these doctors, would not believe them. Twent

might go at any moment; things were worse than that now. There was no l

ost brutally candid with him, for they h

ds that he was too busy, and that if he made his will now he should have to add codicils according as his savings increased. His lawyer assured him no such thing was nece

him to settle his affairs. The dying man's daughter was too young, and too timid, and too closely interested in the execution of the docu

ee physicians in attendance sat when

e finest room in the house, and few houses in either county that claimed

d fallen off, leaving the bones of the discoloured frames exposed to view. The ceiling, formed of oak cross-beams, with flowers and fruit pieces in the panels, had felt the corroding touch of wilful Time. Here and there the canvas bulged off the panel,

The hospitable greeting "Welcome," in blue enamel in the wreath of carved vine-leaves round the top of the huge sideboard, had lost some of its letters. The glasses of the lamps held by the bronze Nubian slaves at the doors we

lthough the weather was bright and fine, all the f

was sent for. She arrived in a state of great agitation

e, soft-voiced, self-contained man of

inform Miss Midharst, that there is no cause for any ala

etic a father as the invalid had been, she did not like the

ll I go at once and tell M

your attention to me, you may rest assured of knowing explicitly what I wish to have done in this matter

on as frivolous, "the case has now arrived at that state of progress when almost at any time the patient's head may be attacked. Should the h

w, thinking of the guileless

sider that he should be at once induced to make his will, and we have resolved to reque

stonished air. As soon as she had somewhat reco

Alexander listening to me on any business matter than of his asking advice of the wind. He believes women ca

an looked quite dis

other in despair. In a few seconds Dr.

ve weight? We know how he has secluded himself from the world and his own class, and that we are not to look among those who wou

lawyer-he would never in any way accept advice in his affairs beyond legal matters. I unders

one another in doubt and dif

to make one, that kept him back, we should feel no responsibility in the matter. But he refuses to settle his worldly affairs solely upon the ground that we are deceived as to his condition of health. Now we are conf

; then proceeded with mor

ou the name of anyone on whose advice Sir Alexander would be likely to rely in an impor

d hurried away in the sustaining hope that

w windows that looked west along the Island and commanded the beautiful

rn end of the Island, all detail was subdued and lost; nothing was left to trouble the eye or excite enquiry. The eye could see nothing but broad green pasturages and vast expanses of emerald grainshoots

able youth was in his song, the wild rapture of a regenerated soul. Below, the sad-throated thrush piped of the mellow melancholy of a ripe old world that had borne a thousand generations of men, who had moved all their days th

ide lay the decayed old man of a noble race. On the other side the maiden daughter of that man, who had smothe

in Daneford had stopped payment to-day. The three men by the wind

the poor Mainwarings are

unds into it on deposit this day week. It will kill him.

ellow! I do

he local banks being in a bad w

he Dan

im a couple of hundred thousand clear of the b

e Weeslad

ous to speak. But there is a rumour o

s system to keep the money near home. It's a commercial and customers' bank

Mrs. Grant re-e

turned round a

thinks the person most likely to have influen

Dr. Hardy, turning to the o

pit

could be

express to Mr. Grey, requesting him to come immediately. Explain to him what our

r. It merely said that his presence was urgently desired at the Cast

vate black bag. Bank proprietors do not always carry firearms, in fact rarely, al

sudden, so urgent, and from Mrs. Grant! Perhaps the failure of the St. George's has frightened him. If he asks

th a question: "Shall I go to the Isl

here was a kno