er heard! I should say he was not in his right
mind when he made it. I should say this last will was void," added Mr.
Vincy, feeling that this expression put the thing in the true light.
"Eh Standish?"

"Our deceased friend always knew what he was about, I think," said Mr.
Standish. "Everything is quite regular. Here is a letter from
Clemmens of Brassing tied with the will. He drew it up. A very
respectable solicitor."

"I never noticed any alienation of mind--any aberration of intellect in
the late Mr. Featherstone," said Borthrop Trumbull, "but I call this
will eccentric. I was always willingly of service to the old soul; and
he intimated pretty plainly a sense of obligation which would show
itself in his will. The gold-headed cane is farcical considered as an
acknowledgment to me; but happily I am above mercenary considerations."

"There's nothing very surprising in the matter that I can see," said
Caleb Garth. "Anybody might have had more reason for wondering if the
will had been what you might expect from an open-minded straightforward
man. For my part, I wish there was no such thing as a will."

"That's a strange sentiment to come from a Christian man, by God!" said
the lawyer. "I should like to know how you will back that up, Garth!"

"Oh," said Caleb, leaning forward, adjusting his finger-tips with
nicety and looking meditatively on the ground. It always seemed to him
that words were the hardest part of "business."

But here Mr. Jonah Featherstone made himself heard. "Well, he always
was a fine hypocrite, was my brother Peter. But this will cuts out
everything. If I'd known, a wagon and six horses shouldn't have drawn
me from Brassing. I'll put a white hat and drab coat on to-morrow."

"Dear, dear," wept Mrs. Cranch, "and we've been at the expense of
travelling, and that poor lad sitting idle here so long! It's the
first time I ever heard my brother Peter was so wishful to please God
Almighty; but if I was to be struck helpless I must say it's hard--I
can think no other."

"It'll do him no good where he's gone, that's my belief," said Solomon,
with a bitterness which was remarkably genuine, though his tone could
not help being sly. "Peter was a bad liver, and almshouses won't cover
it, when he's had the impudence to show it at the last."

"And all the while had got his own lawful family--brothers and sisters
and nephews and nieces--and has sat in church with 'em whenever he
thought we