the person of all others who would employ it to the best
purpose--that is to say, to my sister as my nearest of kin. As I
was now situated, my property would revert to my uncle if I died
intestate. He was a richer man than I was. Of his two children,
both sons, the eldest would inherit his estates: the youngest had
already succeeded to his mother's ample fortune. Having literally
no family claims on me, I felt bound to recognize the wider
demands of poverty and misfortune, and to devote my superfluous
wealth to increasing the revenues of charitable institutions. As
to minor legacies, I owed it to my good housekeeper, Mrs. Mozeen,
not to forget the faithful services of past years. Need I add--if
I had been free to act as I pleased--that I should have gladly
made Rothsay the object of a handsome bequest? But this was not
to be. My friend was a man morbidly sensitive on the subject of
money. In the early days of our intercourse we had been for the
first and only time on the verge of a quarrel, when I had asked
(as a favor to myself) to be allowed to provide for him in my
will.

"It is because I am poor," he explained, "that I refuse to profit
by your kindness--though I feel it gratefully."

I failed to understand him--and said so plainly.

"You will understand this," he resumed; "I should never recover
my sense of degradation, if a mercenary motive on my side was
associated with our friendship. Don't say it's impossible! You
know as well as I do that appearances would be against me, in the
eyes of the world. Besides, I don't want money; my own small
income is enough for me. Make me your executor if you like, and