"We'll rest it there, then--but what of her daughter? The child could
hardly have been accessory before the fact, I suppose?"

An expression of suffering patience came into the old gentleman's face,
and he averted his gaze as he had done before the looming countenance of
Kesiah.

"Your uncle rarely spoke to me of her," he answered, "but I have reason
to know that her existence was a constant source of distress to him. He
was most anxious both to protect your mother and to provide generously
for the future of Janet's daughter.

"Yet I understand that there was no mention of her in his will."

"This omission was entirely on your mother's account. The considerable
property--representing a third of his entire estate--which was left in
trust to me for a secret purpose, will go, of course, to the girl. In
the last ten years this property has practically doubled in value, and
Molly will take possession of the income from it when she reaches her
twenty-first birthday. The one condition is that at Reuben's death she
shall live with your aunt."

"Ah," said Jonathan, "I begin to see."

"At the time, of course, he believed that your mother would survive
him only a few months, and his efforts to shield her from any painful
discoveries extended even after his death. His wish was that the
girl should be well educated and prepared for any change in her
circumstances--but unfortunately she has proved to be rather a wilful