the richest men in New York. The
Jersey cousins were invited, of course. He had to invite them. He did
not know to what extent, if at all, his brother had remembered them, but
it was policy not to ignore them, especially after the little pecuniary
services they had rendered. Besides, he did not wish to furnish his
relations with any excuse to contest the will. He had nothing to hide.
He wanted the whole world to know exactly what the will said and just
how his brother had left him the money.

At length the great day arrived. Jimmy, so arrayed in black from head to
foot that he looked like an animated raven, wandered from room to room,
instructing the new butler, bossing the other servants, admonishing them
to move about noiselessly, rehearsing Mrs. Marsh on the demeanor she
must observe throughout the proceedings, arranging the _mise-en-scene_
in the library where the will would be read. Bascom Cooley, he planned,
would take his seat in a dignified manner at the end of the long library
table. He and Mrs. Marsh, together with Tod, whose arrival was expected
any moment, would take seats farther down the board. The Jersey cousins
would be ushered to places slightly in the background. Overhead,
dominating the scene, was the oil-painting of John Marsh, swathed in
crape.

For the twentieth time, Jimmy, watch in hand, had gone to the front
parlor window and drawn aside the blinds to see if Mr. Cooley was coming
with the strong box containing the will.

"Tod ought to be here by this time," said Mrs. Marsh anxiously, her eye
on the clock. "It is eleven o'clock. The _Touraine_ docked at nine. I
ought to have gone to meet him."

"Nonsense!" exclaimed her husband. "He's big enough to look after
himself. I sent the motor to the French line dock. He'll be here any
moment."

The front door bell rang violently.

"Here he is now!" cried Mrs. Marsh, hurrying forward.

There was the shuffle of many feet and the sound of strange voices in
the hall. The next instant the curtains were thrown open by the butler,
and a number of people, men and women, dressed in black, entered,
smiling and bowing. They were the country cousins, with their sons and
daughters, all come to hear the will read. They slouched in one after
the other, sheepish-looking and awkward. James and his wife greeted them
politely yet distantly. It was impolitic to be over cordial with people
who could never be anything but undesirable relations.

The newcomers sat d