"Silas," said Aunt Jane to her lawyer, the next morning after her interview with Patsy, "I'm ready to have you draw up my will."
Mr. Watson gave a start of astonishment1. In his own mind he had arrived at the conclusion that the will would never be executed, and to have Miss Merrick thus suddenly declare her decision was enough to startle even the lawyer's natural reserve.
"Very well, Jane," he said, briefly2.
They were alone in the invalid's morning room, Phibbs having been asked to retire.
"There is no use disguising the fact, Silas, that I grow weaker every day, and the numbness3 is creeping nearer and nearer to my heart," said Miss Merrick, in her usual even tones. "It is folly4 for me to trifle with these few days of grace yet allowed me, and I have fully5 made up my mind as to the disposition6 of my property."
"Yes?" he said, enquiringly, and drew from his pocket a pencil and paper.
"I shall leave to my niece Louise five thousand dollars."
"Yes, Jane," jotting7 down the memorandum8.
"And to Elizabeth a like sum."
The lawyer seemed disappointed. He tapped the pencil against his teeth, musingly9, for a moment, and then wrote down the amount.
"Also to my brother, John Merrick, the sum of five thousand dollars," she resumed.
"To your brother?"
"Yes. That should be enough to take care of him as long as he lives.
He seems quite simple in his tastes, and he is an old man."
The lawyer wrote it down.
"All my other remaining property, both real and personal, I shall leave to my niece, Patricia Doyle."
"Jane!"
"Did you hear me?"
"Yes."
"Then do as I bid you, Silas Watson."
He leaned back in his chair and looked at her thoughtfully.
"I am not only your lawyer, Jane; I am also your friend and counsellor. Do you realize what this bequest10 means?" he asked, gently.
"It means that Patricia will inherit Elmhurst—and a fortune besides. Why not, Silas? I liked the child from the first. She's frank and open and brave, and will do credit to my judgment11."
"She is very young and unsophisticated," said the lawyer, "and of all your nieces she will least appreciate your generosity12."
"You are to be my executor, and manage the estate until the girl comes of age. You will see that she is properly educated and fitted for her station in life. As for appreciation13, or gratitude14, I don't care a snap of my finger for such fol-de-rol."
The lawyer sighed.
"But the boy, Jane? You seem to have forgotten him," he said.
"Drat the boy! I've done enough for him already."
"Wouldn't Tom like you to provide for Kenneth in some way, however humbly15?"
She glared at him angrily.
"How do you know what Tom would like, after all these years?" she asked, sternly. "And how should I know, either? The money is mine, and the boy is nothing to me. Let him shift for himself."
"There is a great deal of money, Jane," declared the lawyer, impressively. "We have been fortunate in our investments, and you have used but little of your ample income. To spare fifty thousand dollars to Kenneth, who is Tom's sole remaining relative, would be no hardship to Patricia. Indeed, she would scarcely miss it."
"You remind me of something, Silas," she said, looking at him with friendly eyes. "Make a memorandum of twenty thousand dollars to Silas Watson. You have been very faithful to my interests and have helped materially to increase my fortune."
"Thank you, Jane."
He wrote down the amount as calmly as he had done the others.
"And the boy?" he asked, persistently16.
Aunt Jane sighed wearily, and leaned against her pillows.
"Give the boy two thousand," she said.
"Make it ten, Jane."
"I'll make it five, and not a penny more," she rejoined. "Now leave me, and prepare the paper at once. I want to sign it today, if possible."
He bowed gravely, and left the room.
Toward evening the lawyer came again, bringing with him a notary17 from the village. Dr. Eliel, who had come to visit Patricia, was also called into Jane Merrick's room, and after she had carefully read the paper in their presence the mistress of Elmhurst affixed18 her signature to the document which transferred the great estate to the little Irish girl, and the notary and the doctor solemnly witnessed it and retired19.
"Now, Silas," said the old woman, with a sigh of intense relief, "I can die in peace."
Singularly enough, the signing of the will seemed not to be the end for Jane Merrick, but the beginning of an era of unusual comfort. On the following morning she awakened20 brighter than usual, having passed a good night, freed from the worries and anxieties that had beset21 her for weeks. She felt more like her old self than at any time since the paralysis22 had overtaken her, and passed the morning most enjoyably in her sunshiney garden. Here Patricia was also brought in her wheel chair by Beth, who then left the two invalids23 together.
They conversed24 genially25 enough, for a time, until an unfortunate remark of Aunt Jane's which seemed to asperse26 her father's character aroused Patricia's ire. Then she loosened her tongue, and in her voluable Irish way berated27 her aunt until poor Phibbs stood aghast at such temerity28, and even Mr. Watson, who arrived to enquire29 after his client and friend, was filled with amazement30.
He cast a significant look at Miss Merrick, who answered it in her usual emphatic31 way.
"Patricia is quite right, Silas," she declared, "and I deserve all that she has said. If the girl were fond enough of me to defend me as heartily32 as she does her father, I would be very proud, indeed."
Patricia cooled at once, and regarded her aunt with a sunny smile.
"Forgive me!" she begged. "I know you did not mean it, an............