‘Come now, don’t tell me a fib,’ said Laura, smiling, and holding up her forefinger. ‘You shouldn’t try to be deceitful. It is of no use, for your face betrays you. There was a stranger here this afternoon, a dark, silent kind of man. He came to see uncle, and I believe it was to make his will. Am I not right?’ ‘Possibly.’ ‘Of course I am. My guesses are always right. I wonder who is to be the favoured one? I do hope it will be you, Alec!’ ‘Thank you,’ he answered with some confusion. ‘Ah! I see you know all about it. Uncle and you were talking it over just now, weren’t you?’ ‘If we were, you know I can’t speak of what passed between us.’ ‘Oh, I know that, of course. Still, I am a little curious. Not with regard to myself, personally. I have no right to expect that Mr. Lindsay should leave me anything, for after all (though he has been as kind as any blood-relation could be to me), he and I are not related. You remember my telling you that, the first time we met? You remember that night? You sat next me at dinner, and your cousin was so jealous of my talking to you!’ ‘Yes, I remember that night very well.’ ‘But I _should_ like to know that uncle had done his duty by you. He has so much money; and as you are his favourite nephew, he is certain to leave you quite a large sum.’ ‘I don’t see that at all. I mean, I have no claim on him whatever.’ ‘Oh yes! you have,’ said Laura; but she stopped suddenly, for Miss Lindsay just then returned to the room. As Alec went home that night, Laura’s image remained with him. And more than once the thought occurred to him, that if his uncle carried out his intention of leaving him a substantial sum, it would bring the possibility of his winning Laura Mowbray a little nearer. CHAPTER XXI. ROGUES IN COUNCIL. As James Semple went to keep his early appointment with the lawyer’s clerk on the following morning, his great fear was that Beattie might in the meantime have changed his mind. For himself, his indignation and rage knew no bounds. He felt ready to run any risks. But he knew that without the aid of his astute friend he was powerless; and the sense of his impotence only added to his anger. ‘Well, here you are,’ said Beattie, when Semple was shown into his room. ‘Sit down, and have a cup of coffee.’ ‘I don’t mind if I do. And you might put a dash of brandy in it. It’s terribly cold to-day. Don’t you find it so?’ ‘No.’ ‘I dare say not. You’d find no weather cold; you’re cold-blooded, like a leech.’ As soon as the two men were left alone together, Semple drew his chair nearer to Beattie’s and leant forward. ‘Have you thought of anything?’ he asked in a whisper. Beattie looked at the other’s hungry, wolfish eyes, and turned away, half in disgust.