It is her father who would profit, I think I gathered from our last conversation, in the event of Marian's death." "In the event of her dying childless--yes, the father would take all." "Then he is really the only person who could profit by her death ?" "Well, yes," replied the lawyer with some slight hesitation; "under her grandfather's will, yes, her father would take all.

Of course, in the event of her father having died previously, the husband would come in as heir-at-law.

You see it was not easy to exclude the husband altogether." "And do you believe that Mr.Nowell is still living to claim his inheritance ?" "I believe so.

I fancy the old man had some tidings of his son before the will was executed; that he, in short, heard of his having been met with not long ago, over in America." "No doubt he will speedily put in an appearance now," said Gilbert bitterly--"now that there is a fortune to be gained by the assertion of his identity." "Humph!" muttered the lawyer.

"It would not be very easy for him to put his hand on sixpence of Jacob Nowell's money, in the absence of any proof of Mrs.Holbrook's death.