themselves; but as there had been great doubt as to the proportions in
which the property would be divided between the nephew and adopted
niece, there was aroused a considerable excitement as to the omission
of the name of Miss Amedroz an excitement which was not altogether
unpleasant. When people complain of some cruel shame, which does not
affect themselves personally, the complaint is generally accompanied by
an unexpressed and unconscious feeling of satisfaction.

On the present occasion, when the will had been read and refolded,
Captain Aylmer, who was standing on the rug near the fire, spoke a few
words. His aunt, he said, had desired to add a codicil to the will, of
the nature of which Mr Palmer was well aware. She had expressed her
intention to leave fifteen hundred pounds to her niece, Miss Amedroz;
but death had come upon her too quickly to enable her to perform her
purpose. Of this intention on the part of Mrs Winterfield, Mr Palmer
was as well aware as himself; and he mentioned the subject now, merely
with the object of saying that, as a matter of course, the legacy to
Miss Amedroz was as good as though the codicil had been completed. On
such a question as that there could arise no question as to legal
right; but he understood that the legal claim of Miss Amedroz, under
such circumstances, was as void as his own. It was therefore no affair
of generosity on his part. Then there was a little buzz of satisfaction
on the part of those present, and the meeting was broken up.

A certain old Mrs. Folliott, who was cousin to everybody concerned, had
come over from Taunton to see how things were going. She had always
been at variance with Mrs Winterfield, being a woman who loved cards
and supper parties, and who had throughout her life stabled her horses
in stalls very different to those used by the lady of Perivale. Now
this Mrs Folliott was the first to tell Clara of the will. Clara. of