The eyes,in the purple of his face, were
congested.
He waited a moment, but still she
saidnothing.
Also he wasvery solemn and, for him, fidgety and
nervous. All that willbe looked into, I promise you, and at once. Jonathan Baxter,
the Ostablelawyer who drew the will, had revealed its contents to no one. Benjamin,
according to the informationin the second letter, had lived a wild life. Sampson
said about him I kept noddin my head. Miss Brewster, did yourbrother show you that
will? She wrote to Baxter,explaining the situation. He had waved the ridiculous
willbefore her eyes as a bait. And, as the thought came to her, if you havethem now
you must have paid the assessment on them. There is one thing you can do, she said,
and I am sure you will.
You can count thatin as part of the loan, if youd
rather.
Does, trying hard to make thequestion seem casual,
does Mary know youve come here to get it?
You will admit that he was a good judge of
character.
It told alittle of his life out there, of his
marriage to a rich widow andso on.
Doctor Hamilton may have guessed, but he will
saynothing.
She must wait alittle longer, another week perhaps.
Captain Dave sprang forward, but only just in time to catch him ashe
collapsed.
It is no more than you have said already and
apparently it is thetruth.
You havent told any one, have you,
CaptainCummings?
The money in the Wapatomac bankwas his and he must
have had SOME personal property. A Boston furniture house sent a statement and
arequest for payment. Brewster was in a wretched state ofhealth. Purchase of the new
davenport had not been, evidently, a cashtransaction.
Twas a loan, and on goodcollateral security, thats
all twas.
Its such a comfort, she declared, pressing Marys
hand.
When he goes I shant have any one even as closeas a
first cousin left livin. Well, Captain Cummings, she said, how do you do? It had
seemedsuch a generous act on his part.