s place?"

"Certainly. My cousin disobeyed his father."

"So he was left in poverty."

"I don't see how that concerns you, Benjamin Bolton. My uncle had the
right to dispose of his property as he pleased."

"Probably Dudley Ray is living in poverty now."

"You are mistaken. He is dead."

"Indeed! Poor fellow! He was a generous and high-minded man."

"Whatever he may have been, he offended his father, and suffered the
consequences."

"Too true!"

"But I fail to understand why you should have come to discuss this matter
with me."

"When did Dudley die?"

"I can't be sure as to the year. I think it was about a year after his
father's death."

"I presume that his father's injustice helped to hasten his end."

"I won't permit any reflections upon my dear uncle and benefactor. He did
what he liked with his own. He felt that the estate would be better in my
hands than in Dudley's."

"Admitting for a moment that this was so, did your heart prompt you to
bestow a part of the estate on your unfortunate cousin?"

"No; for I am sure my uncle would have disapproved of such action on my
part."

"Do you know if he suffered much from poverty?"

"No; I did not concern myself with that, nor need you."

"I would like to comment on one of your statements. You say that your
uncle had a right to dispose of his estate as he pleased."

"Do you dispute it?"

"No; I agree with you. Stephen Ray, was his estate disposed of according
to his wishes?"

Mr. Ray started, and his face became flushed.

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"I mean that he bequeathed the estate to his son, and you took possession
of it."

Bolton spoke slowly, and eyed Stephen Ray keenly.

"Are you mad?" gasped Stephen. "How could I do that? His will, devising
the estate to me, was duly probated, and I entered upon my inheritance by
due process of law."

"I know such a will was probated."

"Then what have you to say?" demanded Stephen Ray defiantly. "Do you mean
to deny that the will was genuine?"

"No."

"Because if you do, you can go to the probate office, and submit the will
to any judge of my uncle's handwriting."

"There will be no occasion. I admit that the will was written by him."

"What do you mean, then?" asked Stephen Ray, showing relief.

"I mean this--that it was not his last will and testament."

"Where is a later one? Produce it if you can?" said Stephen Ray
triumphantly.

"You say this fearlessly because you found a l