"
"I know nothing," I answered.
"Then I am glad to be the bearer of such good intelligence to a
fortunate and distinguished man," he said with a bow. "I have the honour
to inform you in my capacity of executor to the will of the late Mrs.
Martha Strong that, with the exception of a few legacies, you are left
her sole heir."
Now I wished that the hat-rack was still at hand, but, as it was not, I
pretended to stumble, and leant for a moment against the porter who had
received my last shilling.
"Indeed," I said recovering myself, "and can you tell me the amount of
the property?"
"Not exactly," he answered, "but she has led a very saving life, and
money grows, you know, money grows. I should say it must be between
three and four hundred thousand, nearer the latter than the former,
perhaps."
"Really," I replied, "that is more than I expected; it is a little
astonishing to be lifted in a moment from the position of one with a
mere competence into that of a rich man. But our poor friend was--well,
weak-minded, so how could she be competent to make a binding will?"
"My dear sir, her will was made within a month of her husband's death,
when she was as sane as you are, as I have plenty of letters to show.
Only, as I have said, she kept the contents a dead secret, in order that
one day they might be a pleasant surprise to you.
Pages:
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153