worldly cares; and his old friend did not turn a deaf ear to him.
It was during the night that Sir Roger was most anxious to talk, and most capable of talking. He would lie through the day in a state half-comatose; but towards evening he would rouse himself, and by midnight he would be full of fitful energy. One night, as he lay wakeful and full of thought, he thus poured forth his whole heart to Dr. Thorne.
'Thorne,' said he, 'I told you all about my will, you know.'
'Yes,' said the other; 'and I have blamed myself greatly that I have not again urged you to alter it. Your illness came too suddenly, Scatcherd; and then I was averse to speak of it.'
'Why should I alter it? It is a good will; as good as I can make. Not but that I have altered it since I spoke to you. I did it that day after you left me.'
'Have you definitely named your heir in default of Louis?'
'No—that is, yes—I had done that before; I have said Mary's eldest child: I have not altered that.'
'But, Scatcherd, you must alter it.'
'Must! well then I won't; but I'll tell you what I have done, I have added a postscript—a codicil they call it—saying that you, and you only, know who is her eldest child. Winterbones and Jack Martin have witnessed that.'
Dr. Thorne was going on to explain how very injudicious such an arrangement appeared to be; but Sir Roger would not listen to him. It was not about that that he wished to speak to him. To him it was matter of but minor interest who might inherit his money if his son should die early; his care was solely for his son's welfare. At twenty-five the heir might make his own will—might bequeath all this wealth according to his own fancy. Sir Roger would not bring himself to believe that his son could follow him to the grave in so short a time.
'Never mind that, doctor, now; but about Louis; you will be his guardian, you know.'
'Not his guardian. He is more than of age.'
'Ah! but doctor, you will be his guardian. The property will not be his till he be twenty-five. You will not desert him?'
'I will not desert him; but I doubt whether I can do much for him—what can I do, Scatcherd?'
'Use the power that a strong man has over a weak one. Use the power that my will will give you. Do for him as you would for a son of your own if you saw him going in bad courses. Do as a friend should do for a friend that is dead and gone. I would do so for you, doctor, if our places were changed.'
'What I can do, that I will do,' said Thorne, solemnly, taking
