clined to embark
some capital with him in the proposed extension of the works. They
frequently quoted the Judge's nephew, Mr. Ralph Dewey, as to the extent
to which goods could be put into market by the house of Floyd, Lawson,
Lee & Co., who possessed, it was conceded, almost unlimited facilities.

I listened to their conversation, which involved plans of enlargement,
statistics of trade, home and foreign production, capital, and the
like, until I began to feel that I was moving in a narrow sphere, and
destined, in comparison with them, to occupy a very small space on the
world. And I will confess it, a shade of dissatisfaction crept over my
heart.

A few months later I learned that my two neighbors were jointly
interested in the mill, and that early in the ensuing spring steam-power
would be introduced, and the capacity of the works increased to more
than double their present range.

It was December when Wallingford returned from England. He brought
back with him all the evidence required to prove the identity of Mrs.
Montgomery. Up to this time only three persons knew of the existence of
a will--Mrs. Montgomery, Blanche, and myself; and we formed a council on
the question of what was now to be done. I gave it as my opinion, that,
as Judge Bigelow was one of the executors, and must in consequence cease
to act for Mrs. Montgomery, that we had better call in Mr. Wallingford,
and get his view of the case before placing the will in Judge Bigelow's
hands. The mother and daughter agreed with me. So a time of meeting was
appointed, and a note sent to the young lawyer desiring his presence
at the house of Mrs. Montgomery. He seemed very much gratified at the
successful result of his visit to England, and referred to it with
something of pardonable pride in his manner.

"We have every reason," said Mrs. Montgomery, in response to this, "to
be satisfied with the manner in which you have executed an important
mission. Since you left America, however, a document has come into my
hands, which, had it reached me earlier, would have saved you a long and
tedious search among mouldy and moth-eaten papers. It was nothing less
than Captain Allen's will."

And she gave him the paper. He looked surprised, and for a moment or two
bewildered. Then opening the will, he read it through rapidly. I saw the
color leave his face as he progressed, and his hand move nervously.
It was plain that his mind took in, at a grasp, the entire series of