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 valid 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.