"My uncle is rather particular about his
acquaintances."
The man laughed.
"What's that in your hand?" he demanded.
"Something my uncle gave me before he went out," the girl replied. "I
haven't looked at it yet myself."
"Give it here," he ordered.
She spread it out upon the table.
"You may look at it if you choose," she agreed. "My uncle did not tell me
not to show it to any one."
They read it together. The few lines seemed to be written with great care.
They took, indeed, the form of a legal document, to which was affixed the
seal of a notary and the name of a witness.--
I, John Craig, being about to receive the just punishment for
all my sins, hereby bequeath to my niece, Mary Carlton, all
monies and property belonging to me, a list of which she will
find at this address. I make one condition only of my bequest
and I beg my niece to fervently respect it. It is that she never
of her own consent or knowledge speak to any one of the name of
Ashleigh, or associate with any of that name.
JOHN CRAIG.
The man folded up the paper.
"I'll take care of this," he said. "It's yours, right enough. We'll just
need to borrow it for a time. Go and get your hat and coat on, miss."
"I shall not," the girl objected. "My uncle told me, if anything happened
to him, that I was to remain here."
"And remain here she shall, so long as she likes," Mrs. Malony insisted.
"I've given my promise, too, to look after her, and Mr.
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