You're not going to it yet."

Drusilla drew a deep breath of relief, and the frightened look died
from her eyes. She leaned back in her chair.

"Then I don't know what you've got to tell me. It can't be that some
one I know is dead, because all of my friends died long ago."

Mr. Gale said, "Tell her, so she'll understand. You're worrying the
poor soul."

Mr. Thornton took a legal looking document from his pocket and a
letter.

"Miss Doane," he said, "did you ever hear of Elias Doane?"

"Elias Doane? No, I don't believe I ever did."

"Well, he was a distant relation of yours; another branch of the
family. He thought he was the last one of the Doane name, as he never
married. A few weeks before his death, hearing about this home he
sent me up here to learn the particulars regarding it, and I found
you here. I reported that there was an inmate by the name of Doane
still living, and we investigated and found that you belonged to the
family that we thought was represented by only one man, the late
Elias Doane."

"He's dead, then. Was he a relation of mine, did you say?"

"Yes, very distantly related."