"May, do you believe that you burned the will the night your uncle lay
dying?" asked Father Fabian, abruptly.

"I do not think I did. I may, however, have done so."

"Mr. Fielding intends to endeavor to set aside the will which was
found. He had good legal reasons to expect that he can secure you an
equal share of your uncle's estate with your cousin."

"I hope he will do no such thing, sir. I am quite satisfied."

"But he and the witnesses to the _other will_ are not, because there
are very important public and religious interests involved in its loss."

"If that is the case, I can only object so far as I am individually
concerned," said May; "but I hope most earnestly that Mr. Fielding will
let the matter rest a short time longer--a few months, for the longer I
think of it that I did not burn the will, and I feel a presentiment
that it will come to light," said May, earnestly.

"And you will not give your consent, as one of the heirs, to go to law?"

"Not yet--not yet, Father. Let us wait a little. If it is mislaid, it
may be found; if any one has wronged me by secreting it, they may
repent."

"Was there ever such a wild goose on earth?" said Father Fabian,
laughing. "You know as much about the world _now_, May, as you did
eighteen years ago, when you were just two months old."