time; but when we had lit our cigars he said:-"Lord-;" but Arthur interrupted him:"No, no, not that, for God’s sake! not yet at any rate. Forgive me, sir: I did not mean to speak offensively; it is only because my loss is so recent."

The Professor answered very sweetly:"I only used that name because I was in doubt. I must not call you ‘Mr.,’and I have grown to love you-yes, my dear boy, to love you-as Arthur."

Arthur held out his hand, and took the old man’s warmly.

"Call me what you will," he said. "I hope I may always have the title of a friend. And let me say that I am at a loss for words to thank you for your goodness to my poor dear." He paused a moment, and went on: "I know that she under-stood your goodness even better than I do; and if I was rude or in any way wanting at that time you acted so-you remember"- the Professor nodded-"you must forgive me."

He answered with a grave kindness:"I know it was hard for you to quite trust me then, for to trust such violence needs to understand; and I take it that you do not-that you cannot-trust me now, for you do not yet understand. And there may be more times when I shall want you to trust when you cannot-and may not-and must not yet understand. But the time will come when your trust shall be whole and complete in me, and when you shall understand as though the sunlight himself shone through. Then you shall bless me from first to last for your own sake, and for the sake of others, and for her dear sake to whom I swore to protect."

"And, indeed, indeed, sir," said Arthur warmly, "I shall in all ways trust you. I know and believe you have a very noble heart, and you are Jack’s friend, and you were hers. You shall do what you like."

The Professor cleared his throat a couple of times, as though about to speak, and finally said:-"May I ask you something now?"

"Certainly."

"You know that Mrs. Westenra left you all her property?"

"No, poor dear; I never thought of it."

"And as it is all yours, you have a right to deal with it as you will. I want you to give me permission to read all Miss Lucy’s papers and letters. Believe me, it is no idle curiosity. I have a motive of which,