My dear parent used to inculcate on me the necessity of doing every thing according to law; and I endeavour to remember his precepts.

He avowed his marriage on his death-bed, made all due atonement to my respected and injured mother, and informed me in whose hands I should find this very certificate; I only obtained it this morning, which fact will account for its being in my pocket, at this melancholy and unexpected crisis, in my beloved uncle's constitution." The latter part of Tom's declaration was true enough; for, after having made all the necessary inquiries, and obtained the hand-writing of a clergyman who was long since dead, he had actually forged the certificate that day, on a piece of soiled paper, that bore the water-mark of 1720.

His language, however, contributed to alienate the confidence of his listener; Sir Gervaise being a man who was so much accustomed to directness and fair-dealing, himself, as to feel disgust at any thing that had the semblance of cant or hypocrisy.

Nevertheless, he had his own motives for pursuing the subject; the presence of neither at the bed-side of the sufferer, being just then necessary.
"And this Mr.Wycherly Wychecombe," he said; "he who has so much distinguished himself of late; your uncle's namesake;--is it true that he is not allied to your family ?" "Not in the least, Sir Gervaise," answered Tom, with one of his sinister smiles.

"He is only a Virginian, you know, sir, and cannot well belong to us.