Will you let me ask one question before you go on?
My heart aches for the children of my love--more than ever my children now.

Is there no hope for their future?
Are they left with no prospect but poverty before them ?" The lawyer hesitated before he answered the question.
"They are left dependent," he said, at last, "on the justice and the mercy of a stranger." "Through the misfortune of their birth ?" "Through the misfortunes which have followed the marriage of their parents." With that startling answer he rose, took up the will from the floor, and restored it to its former position on the table between them.
"I can only place the truth before you," he resumed, "in one plain form of words.

The marriage has destroyed this will, and has left Mr.
Vanstone's daughters dependent on their uncle." As he spoke, the breeze stirred again among the shrubs under the window.
"On their uncle ?" repeated Miss Garth.

She considered for a moment, and laid her hand suddenly on Mr.Pendril's arm.

"Not on Michael Vanstone!" "Yes: on Michael Vanstone." Miss Garth's hand still mechanically grasped the lawyer's arm.