Luck and Pluck 59

Luck and Pluck 59

CHAPTER XXXIV.

 

CONCLUSION.

 

 

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 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.

 

"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?"

 

"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 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 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 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 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