Her first impulse was to destroy it; and springing forward, she attempted to snatch it from Walter's hand, but was prevented by Margaret, who caught her arm and forcibly held her back.
Angrily confronting her stepdaughter, Mrs.Hamilton demanded, "What does this mean ?" to which Mag replied: "It means, madam, that for once you are foiled.

You coaxed my father into making a will, the thought of which ought to make you blush.
Carrie overheard you telling Lenora, and when she found that she must die she wrote it on a piece of paper, and consigned it to Willie's care!" Several times Mrs.Hamilton essayed to speak, but the words died away in her throat, until at last, summoning all her boldness, she said, in a hoarse whisper, "But the homestead is mine--mine forever, and we'll see how delightful I can make your home!" "I'll save you that trouble, madam," said Walter, rising and advancing toward the door.

"Neither my sister nor myself will remain beneath the same roof which shelters you.

To-morrow we leave, knowing well that vengeance belongeth to One higher than we." All the remainder of that day Walter and Margaret spent in devising some plan for the future, deciding at last that Margaret should on the morrow go for a time to Mrs.Kirby's, while Walter returned to the city.

The next morning, however, Walter did not appear in the breakfast parlor, and when Margaret, alarmed at his absence, repaired to his room, she found him unable to rise.