ion
against him? He really did not think it possible.

When they reached the offices of the law firm, Mr. O'Brien, a
short, fussy, albeit comfortable-looking little person, greeted all
the members of the family and the various heirs and assigns with a
hearty handshake. He had been personal counsel to Archibald Kane for
twenty years. He knew his whims and idiosyncrasies, and considered
himself very much in the light of a father confessor. He liked all the
children, Lester especially.

"Now I believe we are all here," he said, finally, extracting a
pair of large horn reading-glasses from his coat pocket and looking
sagely about. "Very well. We might as well proceed to business. I will
just read the will without any preliminary remarks."

He turned to his desk, picked up a paper lying upon it, cleared his
throat, and began.

It was a peculiar document, in some respects, for it began with all
the minor bequests; first, small sums to old employees, servants, and
friends. It then took up a few institutional bequests, and finally
came to the immediate family, beginning with the girls. Imogene, as a
faithful and loving daughter was left a sixth of the stock of the
carriage company and a fourth of the remaining properties of the
deceased, which roughly aggregated (the estate--not her share)
about eight hundred thousand dollars. Amy and Louise were provided for
in exactly the same proportion. The grandchildren were given certain
little bonuses for good conduct, when they should come of age. Then it
took up the cases of Robert and Lester.

"Owing to certain complications which have arisen in the affairs of
my son Lester," it began, "I deem it my duty to make certain
conditions which shall govern the distribution of the remainder of my
property, to wit: One-fourth of the stock of the Kane Manufacturing
Company and one-fourth of the remainder of my various properties,
real, personal, moneys, stocks and bonds, to go to my beloved son
Robert, in recognition of the faithful performance of his duty, and
one-fourth of the stock of the Kane Manufacturing Company and the
remaining fourth of my various properties, real, personal, moneys,
stocks and bonds, to be held in trust by him for the benefit of his
brother Lester, until such time as such conditions as may hereinafter
be set forth shall have been complied with. And it is my wish and
desire that my children shall concur in his direction of the Kane
Manufacturing Company, and of s