She made a snatch at it with the tongs, but a flame sprang up and forestalled her.
She had just time to read the words "last Will and Testament of me Har--" before the whole sank into ashes.

She turned to her brother with a white, scared face.
"Percy! You've never burnt Aunt Harriet's will ?" Ashamed already of his impetuous act the boy nevertheless tried to bluff the matter off.
"It was an abominable shame! When I'm named Beach after her too! I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't read it myself!" he blustered.
"Read what ?" "I shan't tell you! Look here, Win, you must promise on your honor that you'll never breathe a word about this." "Perhaps Aunt Harriet ought to know." "She mustn't know: _mustn't_, I tell you! I say, Win, I'm not at all sure that what I've just done isn't a chargeable offense--I believe they call it a felony.

You wouldn't like to see me put into prison, would you?
Then hold your tongue about it! Give me your word! Can you keep a secret ?" "I promise!" gasped Winona (Percy was squeezing her little finger nail in orthodox fashion and the agony was acute).

"I promise faithfully." She was in a terrible quandary.

Her natural straightforwardness urged her to make a clean breast of the whole affair.