executor, trustee, and guardian will be appointed.
I realize, and I'm sure that your brother's children will realize, your
hesitance in assuming such a responsibility over persons whom you have
never even met."

"Yes, I guess we'll all realize it; you needn't worry about that. Look
here, do the children know I'm elected?"

"Yes. Of course, the will has been read to them."

"Hum! I s'pose likely they was overcome with joy, wa'n't they?"

Graves bit his lip. Remembering the comments of Miss Caroline and
her brother when they learned of their uncle's appointment, he had
difficulty in repressing a smile.

"Well," he replied, slowly, "of course, one could scarcely expect them
to rejoice. They have never seen you. In fact, I doubt if either of them
knew their father had a brother, living."

"Y-e-e-s. That part don't surprise me. But the rest of it does. By the
miracles of the prophets! the rest of it does! That 'Bije--'Bije--should
leave his children and their money to _me_ to take care of is passin'
human belief, as our old minister used to say--.... Humph! I s'pose
likely, Mr. Graves, you'd like to have me say yes or no to the thing
while you're here, hey?"

Graves nodded. "It would be well to do so," he said. "The settlement
of the estate must be taken in hand as soon as possible. The law so
directs."

"Yes, I see that. Well, what would you advise my doin'?"

To this direct question the lawyer returned a noncommittal answer.

"I'm afraid that must be answered by yourself alone, Captain Warren," he
said. "Of course, the acceptance of the trust will necessarily involve
much trouble and inconvenience, especially to one of your--er--settled
and--er--conservative--I judge merely from what you have said--your
conservative habits. The estate is large, the investments are,
doubtless, many and varied, and the labor of looking into and
investigating them may require some technical skill and knowledge of
finance. Yes."

"Um-hm.... Well, I judge that that kind of skill and knowledge could be
hired, if a feller felt like payin' fair wages; hey?"

"Oh, yes, yes. Any good lawyer could attend to that, under the
supervision of the executor, certainly. But there are other
inconveniences to a--a--"

"Country jay like me. I understand. Go ahead."

"I mean that you would probably be required to spend much, or all, of
the next two or three years in New York."

"Would, hey? I didn't know but bein' as a guardian has entire char