“Oh, papa! how can you say that, when you know that his mind was perfectly clear?” Editha exclaimed, reproachfully. “Did you invite Mr. Felton here to-day to argue this point with me?” he demanded sharply of her. “I asked him, as he has stated, to prepare the necessary papers to settle this money upon Mr. Wayne, hoping that he might convince you that it is best to allow me to do so.” “Indeed!” “You know Earle’s time expired yesterday, and I am expecting him every moment,” Editha said, with some agitation. “_You are expecting him every moment!_” repeated Mr. Dalton, growing excited also, though in a different way, and from a different cause. He had not forgotten the night that he had stolen into her library and tampered with the package committed to her care, nor what secrets that package contained. “Yes, sir; I wrote to him to come directly here as soon as he was free.” “And, pray, did you tell him what he was to come for?” thundered Mr. Dalton, in a rage. “I told him I had a message for him, and also a package belonging to him,” Editha said, quietly. She was growing more calm as he became excited. “Did you ever hear of such folly?” he asked of Mr. Felton. “I think Miss Dalton is perfectly right in wishing to carry out her uncle’s desires. She will have a large fortune left, even after giving up the ten thousand, and my advice to you would be to put no obstacle in her path. Of course, I know she cannot do this without your consent—at least, not at present.” “Of course not; and I shall not allow it. I am surprised that a man of your prudence and judgment should advise such a thing,” Mr. Dalton answered with some heat. “I simply believe in doing as we would be done by. Put yourself in young Wayne’s place Mr. Dalton and consider whether a little friendly help from the dead friend who was always so kind to him would not be very acceptable just at this time,” Mr. Felton answered earnestly. A dark flush mounted to Mr. Dalton’s brow at these words. Put himself in Earle Wayne’s—_her son’s_—place! Imagine him to be in the position of the man he had such cause to hate! The thought stirred all the bad blood in his nature. “He shall never have _one penny_ of my daughter’s fortune. I will never put my name to any paper like what you have brought here to-day!” he cried angrily and smiting the table near which he sat heavily. “Papa let me plead with you,” Editha said gently beseechingly. “I _promised_ to do this thing at this time. Please do not make me break my word; for _my_ sake let me do as Uncle Richard wished; do not force me to do a _worse_ thing than that for which Earle was so cruelly sentenced!” “I force you to commit no robbery! Girl, what do you mean? I am preventing you from robbing yourself!” he cried, angrily.