a letter was at once despatched to john, from squire selwyn, requesting his immediate return to hampton.
though no reason was assigned for the summons, john of course lost no time in obeying it. on the third day he was set down at the lawyer's house.
"o john, how glad i am to see you!" said sam, in his delight flinging both arms around john's neck, and giving him a warm embrace.
john's greeting was no less hearty.
"such news, john!" said sam.
"it isn't the will?" inquired john, eagerly.
"but it is, though."
"found?"
"yes, and i found it. didn't i tell you so! don't you remember my dream?"
"but perhaps it's all a dream now."
"well, if it is, it's a substantial dream, and father's[336] got the document locked up in his safe. you're no longer dependent on mrs. oakley, and you can go to college with me, and—you don't know how glad i am."
"yes, i do, sam," said john. "you're just as glad as if it had happened to yourself, and that's what i expected of you. but you haven't told me how it was found yet."
"oh, it was such fun!" said sam. "sit down here, and i'll tell you all about it."
it need hardly be said that john was amused by the story of ben's ludicrous embarrassment; but he was surprised as well.
"how could ben have got hold of it? i don't understand that."
"nor i," said sam. "but as long as we've got it, we won't trouble ourselves about that."
it was decided that the next morning squire selwyn, accompanied by john, should call on mrs. oakley, and make arrangements founded on the new phase of affairs.
mrs. oakley had not received intelligence of john's return, and her surprise was accompanied by a nervous sensation, when hannah came up to her chamber, and announced that squire selwyn was below, and master john was with him.
[337]
"john oakley?" she demanded, hastily.
"yes, ma'am."
mrs. oakley entered the parlor with her old haughty step, and coldly bade the lawyer "good-morning." of john she took no notice.
"good-morning, mrs. oakley," said john.
"so you have got back, have you?" she said.
"yes, he has got home to stay," said squire selwyn, significantly.
"with or without my permission, i suppose," said mrs. oakley.
"i don't know that he needs anybody's permission to live in his own house," said the lawyer.
"his own house!" repeated mrs. oakley, in a voice which, despite her efforts, betrayed some nervousness.
"yes, mrs. oakley. my object in calling upon you this morning is to apprise you that the will is found."
"what will?" she demanded.
"your late husband's last will and testament, in which he bequeaths this estate to his son john, here present."
"where's the will?"
"here," said the lawyer, producing it.
"will you let me see it?"
[338]
"excuse me, but it must remain in my possession till it is publicly read."
"what reason have i for believing this to be a genuine document?" said mrs. oakley, harshly. it was foolish thus to contend, and she knew it; but it angered her that by the document she should be stripped of two-thirds of what she had come to look upon as her own.
"i am prepared to swear that it is the will which i drew up for your husband three months before his death."
"i suppose i am not to ask how it came into your possession?" said mrs. oakley. "if it was concealed in this house, some one must have entered illegally, and made a secret search."
mrs. oakley fixed her eyes upon john, feeling satisfied that he had entered the house on the day she left her keys out, and opened the drawer.
"if you think i had anything to do with it, mrs. oakley," said john, "you are mistaken. i only reached hampton last evening, summoned by squire selwyn."
"i accused you of nothing," said mrs. oakley, but she was greatly surprised.
"as to who found the will, mrs. oakley," said squire selwyn, composedly, "i will only suggest[339] that your son benjamin can probably throw more light on this matter than any one else."
"benjamin!" exclaimed mrs. oakley, quickly.
"yes, i have reason to think he can give you all the information you desire."
mrs. oakley compressed her lips closely. was it possible that ben had found the will and deliberately carried it to squire selwyn? could he have sold her and his own interests to the enemy? no doubt she argued, squire selwyn had bribed him at a heavy price to deliver it up.
"i don't understand this," she said. "if benjamin found the will, he should have brought it to me."
"as, of course, you would have placed it in my hands, there is no harm done," said the lawyer, watching keenly the face that showed some discomposure as he spoke. "but you can settle that with ben. i will merely read you the provisions of the will informally, previous to presenting it for probate."
to this mrs. oakley could make no objection, though she was fully acquainted with the document to be read.
it provided that the home estate, consisting of the family mansion, and lands situated in the town of[340] hampton, valued together at twenty thousand dollars, should go to john. of the remaining estate, invested in stocks and bonds, valued at forty thousand dollars, one half was to go to john, and the remaining half to mrs. oakley. squire selwyn was appointed executor, and guardian of john, until the latter should attain his majority.
"if the will is genuine,"—commenced mrs. oakley,—
"you certainly do not question my word to that effect?" said the lawyer, gravely.
"i have no right to stay in this house," continued mrs. oakley.
"i am quite sure john would wish you to exercise your own choice in that matter."
"i shall not remain a tenant on sufferance," said mrs. oakley, coldly. "next week benjamin and i go to the city."
"you will act your own pleasure, of course," said squire selwyn, rather glad to hear it, if the truth must be told.
some other matters were discussed and they rose to go. john received no invitation to remain.
"i am afraid i must burden your hospitality, squire selwyn," he said, as they left the house.
"you are a welcome guest, and will always[341] be, john," said the lawyer. "sam will be delighted at the arrangement."
"i don't know how my aunt will manage without me," said john. "i was her business manager."
"it seems to me, john, that your aunt had better sell out her store, and come and keep house for you. you will have a large house, and you are not quite old enough to marry and go to house-keeping."
"not quite," said john, laughing.
"your aunt will thus be relieved from business anxieties, and you are quite rich enough to provide for her and your cousins."
"it is an excellent arrangement," said john. "i'll write to her at once."
john did write, and, as might have been expected his aunt was very glad to accept his offer. it was, of course, impossible to doubt the validity of the will, and its provisions were, as soon as practicable, carried into effect. mrs. oakley removed to new york with ben, and established herself at a boarding-house. on some accounts it was an unwise step. ben, having nothing useful to do, grew dissipated, and contracted debts on all hands. in five years his mother's twenty thousand dollars had dwindled to a few hundreds, and once more she found herself obliged to exert herself for a support. she opened[342] a boarding-house, by means of which she managed to make a living. as for ben, who she fondly hoped would grow up a gentleman, he appears to be sinking deeper and deeper every day into worthlessness and dissipation. he has cost his mother many sorrowful hours.
mr. huxter is dead. probably his excesses in drinking hastened his death. his poor wife was left quite destitute. when john heard of her distress, grateful for her sympathy at a time when he stood in need of it, he asked permission to help her. a certain sum is paid her annually by him, by which, with her earnings as a dress-maker,—a trade which she followed before her marriage,—she is able to make a comfortable living for herself and her children.
john returned to his studies, and was admitted to college with sam, where both took a high rank. they graduated at the last commencement, and are now both studying law.
squire bradley, of wilton, who was much impressed by the skill with which john ferreted out mr. hall's rascality, is anxious to have john enter his office; but sam, who is unwilling to part with one who from boyhood has been his most intimate friend, insists that john shall enter his father's office with[343] him, after completing a course at a celebrated law school where they now are. probably this arrangement will best suit john. i have no hesitation in predicting for him a noble manhood and an honorable career. in spite of the gifts of fortune that he possesses, i consider his warm and generous heart, his personal integrity, and his manly character, to be john oakley's most valuable inheritance.
