 enabled him to nourish such virtuous feeling.
    How should he begin? He had a bright idea, an idea worthy of him. Thrusting
his hand into his pocket he brought out half-a-crown. Then:
    »Your humble friend's in a sad condition, I'm afraid, Jane?«
    »She is, father.«
    »Suppose you give her this! Every little helps, you know.«
    Jane received the coin and murmured thanks for his kindness, but could not
help betraying some surprise. Joseph was on the watch for this. It gave him his
exquisite opportunity.
    »You're surprised at me offering you money, Jane? I believe your poor
grandfather led you to suppose that - that his will was made almost entirely in
your favour?«
    Jane could not reply; she searched his face.
    »Would it disappoint you very much, my child,« he continued,
sympathetically, »if it turned out that he had either altered his mind or by
some accident had neglected to make his will? I speak as your father, Janey, and
I think I have some knowledge of your character. I think I know that you are as
free from avarice as anyone could be.«
    Was it true? he began to ask himself. Why, then, had her countenance fallen?
Why did such a look of deep distress pass over it?
    »The fact is, Janey,« he continued, hardening himself a little as he noted
her expression, »your grandfather left no will. The result - the legal result -
of that is, that all his property becomes - ah - mine. He - in fact he destroyed
his will a very short time, comparatively speaking, before he died, and he
neglected to make another. Unfortunately, you see, under these circumstances we
can't be sure what his wish was.«
    She was deadly pale; there was anguish in the look with which she regarded
her father.
    »I'm very sorry it pains you so, my dear,« Joseph remarked, still more
coldly. »I didn't think you were so taken up with the thought of money. Really,
Jane, a young girl at your time of life -«
    »Father, father, how can you think that? It wasn't to be for myself; I
thought you knew; indeed you did know!«
    »But you looked so very strange, my dear. Evidently you felt -«
    »Yes - I feel it - I do feel it! But because it means
