She took up the keys that Janet had
brought with her, and tried them one by one, where Janet had been
using them. The fourth turned in the lock, and the drawer was open!
"I will disarrange nothing unnecessarily," said Caroline. "Look for
yourself."
Janet would not, however, move hand, foot, or eye, while her mother
put in her hand and took out what lay on the top. It was the Magnum
Bonum. She held it to the light and was sure of it; but she had
taken up an envelope at the same time, and her eye fell on the
address as she was laying it down. It was to-—"James Barnes, Esq."
And as her eye caught the pencilled words "My Will," a strange
electric thrill went through her, as she exclaimed, "What is this,
Janet? How came it here?"
"Oh! take it if you like," said Janet. "I put it there to spare you
worry; but if you will pursue your researches, you must take the
consequences."
Caroline, thus defied, still instinctively holding Magnum Bonum close
to her, drew out the contents of the envelope, and caught in the
broken handwriting of the old man, the words—-"Will and Testament—-
George Gould—-Wakefield—-Elvira de Menella--whole estate." Then she
saw signature, seal, witnesses-—date, "April 24th, 1862."
"What is this? Where did it come from?" she asked.
Pages:
523
524
525
526
527
528
529
530
531
532
533
534
535
536
537
538
539
540
541
542
543
544
545
546
547