The Weird Sisters, Volume I (of 3)

other on the night of the 16th. On Friday morning, the morning of the 17th o

yet it was more invigorating to hear him blundering out wild approximations to a tune than to listen to a moderately accomplished drawing-room vocalist. The banker seemed unabl

acquaintances. He had a nod, a wave of the hand, a cheerful word, a kind enquiry

rticular occurred to him on the way to the Bank. Nothing particular awaited him upon his arrival at the office. A

to the Chamber of Commerce to see the latest Exchange telegrams, and have a chat with some of the

nd disposed of some routine affairs. Then, having no business to do, he threw up th

ind. "Yes; I will burn it. It would tell against me in any case. Even suppose by any miracle I am able to get that money together again, the dates would betray me. Then it is better to have neither book nor St

e but himself had access. This was a small book bound in rough calf, having a patent lock and key. Before

aving cut the book out of the cover, he locked up the cover in a safe in the wall of his own office. There were two reasons for doing this: 1. The cover was, with the appliances at his command, indestructible

sat down in front of the grate, and began tearing up the book into

hanged into flame and smoke and ashes, Grey's thoughts were busy with the awful aspects o

k ago, a month ago; what would have occurred? He should then be a childless widower, younger in appearance and in manner than in years, and even young enough in years to be the suitor of any girl. Was it likely if he were so circumstanced Sir Alexander might not think of altering the will, of introducing into

d and covered his face with his handke

he more he looked at the whole situation the more hopeless his position appeared. What last night he regarded as the gateway to deliverance now was the cavern of ruin. Well, he had b

ing. "Between that book and me there is great similarity. It was once truthful, then it recorded a lie, and now it is burnt and

ang the bell; as he did so, he

ional." Then, correcting himself, he tho

d in a few minutes the se

grate; I've been burning s

tter for you, s

leave it o

it's from the Castle,

anced at the superscripti

" he muttered. "W

ight, and was rather worse this morning. He particularly wanted to see Mr. Grey at once. Would Mr. Grey be so g

ion, and all came much better than I could have dared to hope. There seems no possibility of a favourable solution of the present situation. If the

rying his bag in his hand, and was soo

y before he remembered his appointmen

rd the steamboat as she passes the

ithout the loss of a moment he crossed over t

. Grant, who was waiting for him in th

ty. Poor Sir Alexander has got worse and worse ever since I wrote to

st all sense of proportion. The standards of her feelings had been broken by her

"I hope Miss Midharst," he added, before he gave the little widow time to

r it would do her good. She used to mind a good deal what I said to her, but all this day she sits there, staring as if the room was full of ghosts. I fear there's something bad the matt

med Grey, loud

saying you were a wolf in sheep's clothing, and that you wanted to rob his child of the fortune he had laid by for her. You wouldn't like to be called a robber, and you'r

broke down compl

s association of himself with theft. He went up to the sobbing woman, and in h

ng was further from my intention than to disturb you under the distressing circumstance you describe, and i

nner; he looked upon the friendliness of Mr

nt, quieting her sobs. "I know I am not fit for

u say, such expressions are

terrup

saying." By this time she had forgotten the cause of her tears. What Grey said made her believe she herself had uttered someth

e to recall to her memory the words which had drawn from him the abrupt and disconcerting

he doctors, and they came again in the afternoon. At the latter visit they said I had better send

as lucid i

mind is not quite free at any time. I have been keeping you here instead of taking you direct to him, as

wered, with a

veil of the future. How would this sudden development of the old man's disease affect him? Was the old man in his comparatively lucid moments

m an opinion of the case,

m he was haunted by goblin fears of robbers, in his more collected phases he might be troubled with reasonable dread of theft or misappropriation o

aronet to save it up. Not in twice as many years, and he might have no more than o

baronet's. Little over half an ounce of gold would outweigh five tons; a ring that cost n

chamber, and motioning someone inside to com

e is Mr. Grey; h

and Grey took it respectfully

rs. Grant tells me. I hope this may be only a

girl, in a whisper. "It was kind of

s Midharst, deeply gri

ind and sympathetic tha

u and the money," whispered

shout came from the be

nder my roof, after stealing my darling's fortune! Bring me my pistols, I say-some o