Tod Macandrew was the happiest of men when he and Gerald left Mrs. Pelham Odin's flat on that night. It was all that Haskins could do to keep Tod from executing a war dance on the street. "Remember that you are a ," warned Gerald, "surely you don't want to appear in the police court, otherwise than in a professional capacity."  
"I am also a lover," cried Tod , "and I care nothing for the opinion of other people, legal, or otherwise."
 
"!" muttered his friend, and shook the arm he was holding. "Come out of your midsummer-night dream, and help me."
 
"In what way?" asked Tod more soberly.
 
"I wish to marry Mavis Durham."
 
"Oh!" Tod became more sober than ever. "Haven't you forgotten her yet?"
 
Gerald stopped in surprise. "Why in heaven's name should I forget her, you unsympathetic idiot? I love her----"
 
"And I love Charity," interpolated Macandrew enthusiastically.
 
"Then show a trifle of it," retorted Haskins, punning on the name, "by me, as I have helped you. If it had not been for me, Mr. Toddy, your future mother-in-law would not have consented to this marriage."
 
Tod shook his friend's hand vigorously. "You're one of the best. Anything I can do--by the way, what am I to do?"
 
"Forget Charity for ten minutes in the first place, and get into this approaching hansom in the second. I intend to drive you to my rooms."
 
"What!" Tod pulled out his watch to read the time by the light of the street lamp under which they were . "It's past twelve."
 
"James Ian Robert Roy Macandrew, are you or are you not my legal ?"
 
"Of course I am, and--oh----" Tod broke off hastily.
 
"I knew that I had something to tell you--about that will, you know."
 
"Will! Then there is a will?" Gerald, signaling to a hansom.
 
"Yes. The will of Captain Julian Durham, who----"
 
"Get in, get in," interrupted Haskins , as the cab drew up 'longside, "we have much to say to one another."
 
Tod jumped into the cab, and shortly Gerald slipped in beside him, after giving his address. When the hansom was spinning along, Gerald turned on Tod sharply. "Why didn't you communicate with me about this will, when you knew how anxious I was?"
 
"I only learned the truth yesterday," said Tod quickly; "and wrote a letter asking you to call. You should have received it this morning."
 
"Well then I didn't."
 
"It's that infernal office-boy. I'll sack him. Probably he has never posted it. Well then, I searched for wills in the name of Durham, made about the time you mention. There are plenty of people of that name, and I had to read through a lot of documents. Finally I found that Captain Julian Durham was your man."
 
"How do you know?"
 
"Because the property of Captain Julian Durham is left to his daughter, Mavis."
 
Gerald uttered so loud an ejaculation that the cabman looked down through the trap, thinking that he was receiving an order. "No, no, cabby; it's all . Drive on to Frederick Street." When the trap was closed he addressed himself to Macandrew. "Then I was right?"
 
"Quite right," Tod admiringly, "though how the deuce you knew----"
 
"I didn't know. But I had an intuitive feeling."
 
Tod . "Some more of your confounded occult stuff."
 
"Very good," said Gerald dryly. "I accept the ; but explain my intuition, if you please."
 
"What is your intuition, exactly?"
 
"I believe," said Haskins seriously, and choosing his words carefully, "that Mavis has been shut up by Rebb to keep her out of the way, while he enjoys her income."
 
This time Tod uttered an ejaculation. "I believe that there is something in your occult rubbish after all," he said, in a wondering manner, "for the situation is exactly as you say."
 
"Ah!" Gerald was , and would have uttered an speech, but that the cab stopped in Frederick Street. "Here we are, Tod. Get out. How much, cabby? Two shillings? There you are. Wait till I open the door, Macandrew. There! Run upstairs. I'll follow."
 
on in this way, Haskins and his friend went up the dimly lighted stairs, for the gas was not full on, and soon found themselves in Gerald's comfortable . Haskins lighted the lamp--he electric and gas--and passed along a box of cigars to his visitor. Tod was also accommodated with a glass of whisky and and a comfortable armchair. Gerald, being similarly provided, leaned forward eagerly. "Now, Toddy, tell me exactly what the will says."
 
Tod's eyes strayed to an adjacent table. "Why, there's my letter after all. That infernal boy did post it. I daresay your man didn't bring it up. You should row him, Jerry, and----"
 
"Oh, bother! Tell me about the will. I can read your letter later."
 
"Well then," said Macandrew , "Julian Durham made a will at Brighton, more than twenty years ago, disposing of six thousand a year."
 
"Ha! Rebb's exact income."
 
"Yes. Only I think Rebb has five or six hundred a year of his own in addition. The income of Durham was left to his infant daughter, Mavis, and Michael Rebb was appointed her ."
 
"And a pretty guardian he has been," muttered Gerald .
 
"You may well say that, Jerry. The will says that Rebb is to enjoy the whole income on condition that he educates and brings up the child in a proper way."
 
"Which he has not done, since Mavis can neither read nor write. Couldn't the will be upset by that, Tod?"
 
"We'll come to that later. But I would point out that the will provides for Rebb only until Mavis marries. When she marries, the six thousand a year passes to her at once, on her wedding day, in fact, only Rebb is not forced to account for what he has used up to that date."
 
Haskins jumped up and began to walk up and down, as he was accustomed to do when much excited. "Then I am to understand that, if I marry Mavis, Major Rebb loses six thousand a year?"
 
"Exactly. He to his original five or six hundred, which he before getting his brother officer to make this will in his favor, as it practically is."
 
Haskins stopped.
 
"His brother officer?"
 
"Yes! Durham was in a Goorkha , and so was Rebb. Later, I daresay, Rebb exchanged to the West Indies. I always heard that he came from that place."
 
"Yes. Jamaica," said Haskins mechanically, thinking of Geary. "So this is why Rebb has shut up the girl, and put about the that she is crazy. The plotting beast!"
 
"He's all that," nodded the solicitor, emphatically, "in that way he prevents Mavis ever getting a husband, and so, while she unmarried, he can enjoy his income--or rather her income--in a legal way."
 
"In a legal way," echoed Gerald, disgusted. "Why, the man ought to be hanged and quartered."
 
"You can punish him more by depriving him of his income."
 
"Oh, I'll do that. So far as I am personally concerned, I don't care two straws for the income----"
 
"Oh, come now. Human nature----"
 
"I don't go by human nature," interrupted Haskins sharply; "I go by my own feelings. I would marry Mavis without one penny, since my five hundred a year and what I make by writing is enough to keep things going. But Rebb must be punished, and I shall do all I can to deprive him of this six thousand a year."
 
"There is no necessity to bother," said Tod , "the thing acts automatically, as you might say. When Mavis becomes your wife the money is paid over--or rather the income is transferred to her on the wedding day. The sole chance that Rebb has of keeping his money is to prevent the marriage."
 
&q............