"I was so much astonished, ma'am, to see you here; you haven't been down in the town these twelve years, I think. I could scarce believe my eyes. Won't you come in, ma'am? Pray do." The attorney by this time was on his legs, and doing the honours, much relieved, and he placed a chair for her. "If it's any business, ma'am, I'll be most happy, or any time you like." "Yes, she's dead," said she again. "Oh, come in, ma'am--_do_--so is Queen Anne," said the attorney, laughing kindly. "I heard _that_ early to-day; we _all_ heard it, and we're sorry, of course. Sit down, ma'am. But then she was not very far from a hundred, and we're all mortal. Can I do anything for you, ma'am?" "She was good to me--a proud woman--hard, they used to say; but she was good to me--yes, sir--and so she's gone, at last. She was frightened at them--there was something in them--my poor head--you know--_I_ couldn't see it, and I did not care--for the little child was gone; it was only two months old, and she was ninety years; it's a long time, and now she's in her shroud, poor thing! and I may speak to you." "Do, ma'am--pray; but it's growing late, and hadn't we better come to the point a bit?" She was sitting in the chair he had placed for her, and she had something under her cloak, a thick book it might be, which she held close in her arms. She placed it on the table and it turned out to be a small tin box with a padlock. "Papers, ma'am?" he inquired. "Will you read them, sir, and see what ought to be done--there's the key?" "Certainly, ma'am;" and having unlocked it, he disclosed two little sheaves of papers, neatly folded and endorsed. The attorney turned these over rapidly, merely reading at first the little note of its contents written upon each. "By Jove!" he exclaimed; he looked very serious now, with a frown, and the corners of his mouth drawn down, like a man who witnesses something horrible. "And, ma'am, how long have you had these?" "Since Mr. Sedley died." "I know; that's more than twenty years, I think; did you show them to anyone?" "Only to the poor old lady who's gone." "Ay, I see." There was a paper endorsed "Statement of Facts," and this the attorney was now reading. "Now, ma'am, do you wish to place these papers in my hands, that I may act upon them as the interests of those who are nearest to you may require?" She looked at him with a perplexed gaze, and said, "_Yes_, sir, certainly." "Very well, ma'am; then I must go up to town at once. It's a very serious affair, ma'am, and I'll do my duty by you." "Can you understand them, sir?" "N--_no_--that is, I must see counsel in London; I'll be back again in a day or two. Leave it all to me, ma'am, and the moment I know anything for certain, you shall know all about it." The old woman asked the question as one speaks in their sleep, without hearing the answer. Her finger was to her lip, and she was looking down with a knitted brow.