30 TRUE RICHES; OR,

 

‘“‘T’ve had no time to think of that yet. Other
matters are first to be regarded. So let me come to
the point. Mrs. Elder is dead; and, as far as I
could see, there is no living soul, beyond a fright-
ened servant, to do any thing. Whether she will
have the presence of mind to call in the neighbours,
is more than I can say. I left in the bewilderment
of the moment; and now remember me that some-
thing is to be done for the dead. Will you go to
the house, and see what is needed? In the next
block is an undertaker; you had better call, on
your way, and ask him to go with you. All arrange-
ments necessary for the funeral can be left in his
hands. Just take this whole matter off of me, Ed-
ward, and I will be greatly obliged to you. I have
a good many things on my mind, that must receive
close attention.”

The young man offered no objection, although the
service was far from being ¥greeable. On his return,
after the absence of an hour, Jasper had, of course,
many inquiries to make. Claire appeared serious.
The fact was, he had seen enough to touch his feel-
ings deeply. The grief of the orphaned child, as he
was a witness thereto, had brought tears upon his
cheeks, in spite of every manly effort to restrain
them. Her extreme beauty struck him at the first
glance, even obscured as it was under a vail of sor-
row and weeping.

‘There were several persons in, you say?” re-
marked Jasper, after Claire had related a number
of particulars.

‘Yes, three or four.”

** Ladies, of course ?”’