The
decease was sudden, and though the draft of a will had been
discovered, it had no signature, and was consequently inoperative.
But--pursued the lawyer--it having been the intention of the
deceased to bequeath to Mutimer an annuity of five hundred pounds
for nine years, the administrators were unwilling altogether to
neglect their friend's wish, and begged to make an offer of the. one
year's payment which it seemed was already due. For more than that
they could not hold themselves responsible.
Before speaking to Adela, Mutimer made searching inquiries. He went
to the Midland town where his benefactor had lived, and was only too
well satisfied of the truth of what had been told him. He came back
with his final five hundred pounds.
Then he informed his wife of what had befallen. He was not cheerful,
but with five hundred pounds in his pocket he could not be
altogether depressed. What might not happen in a year? He was
becoming prominent; there had been mention of him lately in London
journals. Pooh! as if he would ever really want!
'The great thing,' he exclaimed, 'is that I can lay down the hundred
pounds! If I'd failed in that it would have been all up. Come, now,
why can't you give me a bit of encouragement, Adela? I tell you what
it is. There's no place where I'm thought so little of as in my own
home, and that's a fact.
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