Nothing but the signature was in his writing; this was terrible, the
worst blow of all.
She took the letter to uncle John in the office and laid it down before
him. He read it gravely, and then bestowed a kiss of congratulation on
his niece. "I aye kennt your fayther was weel conneckit, Marjorie, but
lairge interests in the cen o' writers to the signet like Mac Smaill
means a graun' fortune, a muckle tocher, lassie. We maun caa' your
mither doon to talk it owre." So Mrs. Carmichael came to join the party.
Her daughter wished to appoint some other firm of lawyers in Toronto, or
else to leave all in the hands of Mac Smaill, but the Squire and Mrs.
Carruthers would not hear of either alternative. They knew Coristine,
and could trust him to work in the matter like one of themselves; so the
young lady's scruples were outwardly silenced, and the Squire was duly
authorized to conduct the correspondence with the lawyer. This he did in
twofold fashion. First he wrote:--
EUGENE CORISTINE, ESQ.,
Messrs. Tylor, Woodruff and White.
_Dear Sir_, Although my niece, Marjorie Carmichael, is of legal
age, it is her desire and that of her mother that I, in the
capacity of guardian, should authorize you or your firm, as I
hereby do in her name, to prosecute her claim as the heir of the
late Dr.
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