"Why, certainly," said the lawyer, looking on Olivia with something like pity. "Miss Wharf gave me instructions to make a new will, during the week before she met with her untimely end. Miss Pewsey was not in the room----" "But no doubt she induced my aunt to cut me out of the will." "No," cried Miss Pewsey breathing very hard, and looking more drab than ever. "I won't stand this. Your aunt had good cause to take the money from you--oh you deceiving girl." At this Rupert suddenly rose and took Olivia's hand. He half guessed what was coming, and looked at the spiteful face of the heiress. Olivia stared. She could not understand. Miss Pewsey was about to speak, when Mr. Pastor intervened. "May I be permitted to remark that I have not finished reading the will of the deceased lady," said he sweetly. "There's no more money to be disposed of," said Olivia bitterly, "my enemy has got it all." Pastor made a gesture of silence to prevent Miss Pewsey bursting out into a volume of words. "There is no more money to be disposed of as you say, Miss Rayner, but Miss Wharf sets forth in the will why she disinherited you." "Ah," cried Olivia a light breaking in upon her, and reading the truth in Miss Pewsey's look of triumph, "so my aunt knew----" "She knew that you had secretly married the gentleman beside you." Everyone was on his or her feet by this time, and every look was directed towards Olivia. "Is this true?" asked Lady Jabe. "Yes," cried Miss Pewsey, before either Rupert or Olivia could speak, "of course it is true. Let them deny it if they can. I heard Olivia say herself, that she had been married at a registrar's." Miss Rayner, or rather Mrs. Ainsleigh turned on the little woman, "I should like to know when I said that to you Miss Pewsey?" "You never said it to me--oh dear no," said Miss Pewsey shrilly, "you were not straightforward enough. But I heard--oh yes I heard." "Miss Wharf," said the lawyer folding up the will, "told me that she learned of this from Miss Pewsey, just before she called me in, to make a new will. The five hundred a year was left to you Miss----" "Mrs. Ainsleigh," said Rupert quickly. "Very good. To you Mrs. Ainsleigh, by a former will. But on discovering the secret marriage, my client made a new will--this," he shook it, "and Miss Pewsey benefits." "Miss Pewsey has every right to benefit," said Mrs. Ainsleigh in a clear cold voice, "she has been well paid, for being a spy." "Spy," shrilled Miss Pewsey glaring, "yes I was a spy in the interests of dearest Sophia. I followed you several times, when you went to meet Mr. Ainsleigh near the flag-staff, and on the last occasion----" "Ah," said Olivia tranquilly, "so I thought. I heard something moving. It was you, concealed. Rupert said it was a rat--perhaps he was right. Well Miss Pewsey you have gained your ends and now----" "Now you leave my house," said the old maid, "yes, my house."