s money?"

"No. He was not the millionaire that many thought him. Miss Warren and
her brother will be obliged to economize somewhat in their manner
of living. But, with care _and_ economy, their income should be quite
sufficient, without touching the principal, to--"

"Hold on again; the income, you say. What is that income?"

"Roughly speaking, a mere estimate, about twenty to twenty-five thousand
yearly."

Captain Elisha had stooped to pick up the pipe he had dropped. His
fingers touched it, but they did not close. Instead he straightened up
in his chair as if suffering from an electric shock.

"Mr. Graves," he began; "Mr. Graves, are you cra--. No, I asked you that
before. But--but twenty _thousand_ a--a year! For mercy sakes, what's
the principal?"

"In the neighborhood of five hundred thousand, I believe. Of course, we
had no authority to investigate thoroughly. That will be a part of your
duties, but--"

"S-shh! Let me soak this into my brains a little at a time. 'Bije leaves
his children five hundred thousand, half a million, and--and they've got
to _economize_! And I'm.... Would you mind readin' me that will?"

The attorney drew a long envelope from his pocket, extracted therefrom a
folded document, donned a pair of gold-mounted eyeglasses, and began to
read aloud.

The will was short and very concise. "'I, Abijah Rodgers Warren, being
of sound mind--'"

"You're sartin that part's true, are you?" broke in the captain.

Graves nodded, rather impatiently, and continued. "'Of sound mind,
memory and understanding, do make, publish and declare this to be my
last will and testament, in manner following, that is to say:--

"'First:--I direct my executor hereinafter named to pay my just debts
and funeral expenses as soon as maybe convenient after my decease.'"

"Did he owe much, think likely?" asked Captain Elisha.

"Apparently not. Very little beyond the usual bills of a household."

"Yes, yes. Grocer and butcher and baker and suchlike. Well, I guess they
won't have to put in a keeper. Heave ahead."

"'Second:--I give, devise and bequeath all my estate, both real and
personal, to my brother, Elisha Warren, if he survive--'"

The captain gasped. "To me?" he cried, in utter amazement. "He leaves
it to _me_? 'Bije leaves--say, Mr. Graves, there's some mistake here
somewhere, sure! And besides, you said--"

"Just a minute, Captain Warren, if you please. If you'll be patient and
not interrupt, I'll try