n-law, Mrs Tom, had declared her
to be a silent, stupid old maid. As a silent, stupid old maid, the
Mackenzies of Rubb and Mackenzie were disposed to regard her. But how
should they treat this stupid old maid of an aunt, if it should now
turn out that all the wealth of the family belonged to her?

When Walter's will was read such was found to be the case. There
was no doubt, or room for doubt, in the matter. The will was dated
but two months before his death, and left everything to Margaret,
expressing a conviction on the part of the testator that it was his
duty to do so, because of his sister's unremitting attention to
himself. Harry Handcock was requested to act as executor, and was
requested also to accept a gold watch and a present of two hundred
pounds. Not a word was there in the whole will of his brother's
family; and Tom, when he went home with a sad heart, told his wife
that all this had come of certain words which she had spoken when
last she had visited the sick man. "I knew it would be so," said Tom
to his wife. "It can't be helped now, of course. I knew you could not
keep your temper quiet, and always told you not to go near him." How
the wife answered, the course of our story at the present moment does
not require me to tell. That she did answer with sufficient spirit,
no one, I should say, need doubt; and it may be surmised that things
in Gower Street were not comfortable that evening.

Tom Mackenzie had communicated the contents of the will to his
sister, who had declined to be in the room when it was opened. "He
has left you everything,--just everything," Tom had said. If Margaret
made any word of reply, Tom did not hear it. "There will be over
eight hundred a year, and he has left you all the furniture," Tom
continued. "He has been very good," said Margaret, hardly knowing how
to express herself on such an occasion. "Very good to you," said Tom,
with some little sarcasm in his voice. "I mean good to me," said
Margaret. Then he told her that Harry Handcock had been named as
executor. "There is no more about him in the will, is there?" said
Margaret. At the moment, not knowing much about executors, she had
fancied that her brother had, in making such appointment, expressed
some further wish about Mr Handcock. Her brother explained to her
that the executor was to have two hundred pounds and a gold watch,
and then she was satisfied.

"Of course, it's a very sad look-out for us," Tom said; "but I do not