L. Frank Baum_Aunt Jane 01 (17 page)

"I do not think, so; but unless he has destroyed the paper in his
madness, we shall he able to find it among his possessions."

With this idea in mind, Mr. Watson ordered the servants to remove the
gardener's body to a room in the carriage-house, and as soon as this
was done he set to work to search for the paper, assisted by John
Merrick.

"It was a telegraph blank, he said."

"Yes."

"Then we cannot mistake it, if we find any papers at all," declared
the lawyer.

The most likely places in James' room for anything to be hidden were a
small closet, in which were shelves loaded with odds and ends, and an
old clothes-chest that was concealed underneath the bed.

This last was first examined, but found to contain merely an
assortment of old clothing. Having tossed these in a heap upon the
floor the lawyer begun an examination of the closet, the shelves
promising well because of several bundles of papers they contained.

While busy over these, he heard Uncle John say, quietly:

"I've got it."

The lawyer bounded from the closet. The little man had been searching
the pockets of the clothing taken from the chest, and from a faded
velvet coat he drew out the telegraph blank.

"Is it the will?" asked the lawyer, eagerly.

"Read it yourself," said Uncle John.

Mr. Watson put on his glasses.

"Yes; this is Tom Bradley's handwriting, sure enough. The will is
brief, but it will hold good in law. Listen: I bequeath to Jane
Merrick, my affianced bride, the possession and use of my estate
during the term of her life. On her death all such possessions, with
their accrument, shall be transferred to my sister, Katherine Bradley,
if she then survives, to have and to hold by her heirs and assignees
forever. But should she die without issue previous to the death of
Jane Merrick, I then appoint my friend and attorney, Silas Watson, to
distribute the property among such organized and worthy charities as
he may select.' That is all."

"Quite enough," said Uncle John, nodding approval.

"And it is properly signed and witnessed. The estate is Kenneth's,
sir, after all, for he is the sole heir of his mother. Katherine
Bradley Forbes. Hurrah!" ended the lawyer, waving the yellow paper
above his head.

"Hurrah!" echoed Uncle John, gleefully; and the two men shook hands.

Uncle John and Mr. Watson did not appear at dinner, being closeted in
the former's room. This meal, however, was no longer a state function,
being served by the old servants as a mere matter of routine. Indeed,
the arrangements of the household had been considerably changed by the
death of its mistress, and without any real head to direct them
the servants were patiently awaiting the advent of a new master or
mistress. It did not seem clear to them yet whether Miss Patricia or
Lawyer Watson was to take charge of Elmhurst: but there were few tears
shed for Jane Merrick, and the new regime could not fail to be an
improvement over the last.

At dinner the young folks chatted together in a friendly and eager
manner concerning the events of the day. They knew of old James'
unfortunate end, but being unaware of its import gave it but passing
attention. The main subject of conversation was Aunt Jane's surprising
act in annulling her last will and forcing Patricia to accept the
inheritance when she did not want it. Kenneth, being at his ease when
alone with the three cousins, protested that it would not be right
for Patsy to give him all the estate. But, as she was so generous,
he would accept enough of his Uncle Tom's money to educate him as an
artist and provide for himself an humble home. Louise and Beth, having
at last full knowledge of their cousin's desire to increase their
bequests, were openly very grateful for her good will; although
secretly they could not fail to resent Patsy's choice of the boy as
the proper heir of his uncle's fortune. The balance of power seemed to
be in Patricia's hands, however; so it would be folly at this juncture
to offend her.

Altogether, they were all better provided for than they had feared
would be the case; so the little party spent a pleasant evening and
separated early, Beth and Louise to go to their rooms and canvass
quietly the events of the day, and the boy to take a long stroll
through the country lanes to cool his bewildered brain. Patsy wrote a
long letter to the major, telling him she would be home in three days,
and then she went to bed and slept peacefully.

After breakfast they were all again summoned to the drawing-room, to
their great surprise. Lawyer Watson and Uncle John were there, looking
as grave as the important occasion demanded, and the former at once
proceeded to relate the scene in James' room, his story of the death
of Thomas Bradley, and the subsequent finding of the will.

"This will, which has just been recovered," continued the lawyer,
impressively, "was made subsequent to the one under which Jane
Merrick inherited, and therefore supercedes it. Miss Jane had, as
you perceive, a perfect right to the use of the estate during her
lifetime, but no right whatever to will a penny of it to anyone. Mr.
Bradley having provided for that most fully. For this reason the will
I read to you yesterday is of no effect, and Kenneth Forbes inherits
from his uncle, through his mother, all of the estate."

Blank looks followed Mr. Watson's statement.

"Good-by to my five thousand," said Uncle John, with his chuckling
laugh. "But I'm much obliged to Jane, nevertheless."

"Don't we get anything at all?" asked Beth, with quivering lip.

"No, my dear," answered the lawyer, gently. "Your aunt owned nothing
to give you."

Patsy laughed. She felt wonderfully relieved.

"Wasn't I the grand lady, though, with all the fortune I never had?"
she cried merrily. "But 'twas really fine to be rich for a day, and
toss the money around as if I didn't have to dress ten heads of hair
in ten hours to earn my bread and butter."

Louise smiled.

"It was all a great farce," she said. "I shall take the afternoon
train to the city. What an old fraud our dear Aunt Jane was! And how
foolish of me to return her hundred dollar check."

"I used mine," said Beth, bitterly. "It's all I'll ever get, it
seems." And then the thought of the Professor and his debts overcame
her and she burst, into tears.

The boy sat doubled within his chair, so overcome by the extraordinary
fortune that had overtaken him that he could not speak, nor think even
clearly as yet.

Patsy tried to comfort Beth.

"Never mind, dear," said she. "We're no worse off than before we
came, are we? And we've had a nice vacation. Let's forget all
disappointments and be grateful to Aunt Jane's memory. As far as she
knew, she tried to be good to us."

"I'm going home today," said Beth, angrily drying her eyes.

"We'll all go home," said Patsy, cheerfully.

"For my part," remarked Uncle John, in a grave voice, "I have no
home."

Patsy ran up and put her arm around his neck.

"Poor Uncle John!" she cried. "Why, you're worse off than any of us.
What's going to become of you, I wonder?"

"I'm wondering that myself," said the little man, meekly.

"Ah! You can stay here," said the boy, suddenly arousing from his
apathy.

"No," replied Uncle John, "the Merricks are out of Elmhurst now, and
it returns to its rightful owners. You owe me nothing, my lad."

"But I like you," said Kenneth, "and you're old and homeless. Stay at
Elmhurst, and you shall always be welcome."

Uncle John seemed greatly affected, and wrung the boy's hand
earnestly. But he shook his head.

"I've wandered all my life," he said. "I can wander yet."

"See here," exclaimed Patsy. "We're all three your nieces, and we'll
take care of you between us. Won't we, girls?"

Louise smiled rather scornfully, and Beth scowled.

"My mother and I live so simply in our little flat," said one, "that
we really haven't extra room to keep a cat. But we shall be glad to
assist Uncle John as far as we are able."

"Father can hardly support his own family," said the other; "but I
will talk to my mother about Uncle John when I get home, and see what
she says."

"Oh, you don't need to, indeed!" cried Patsy, in great indignation.
"Uncle John is my dear mother's brother, and he's to come and live
with the Major and me, as long as he cares to. There's room and to
spare, Uncle," turning to him and clasping his hand, "and a joyful
welcome into the bargain. No, no! say nothing at all, sir! Come you
shall, if I have to drag you; and if you act naughty I'll send for the
Major to punish you!"

Uncle John's eyes were moist. He looked on Patsy most affectionately
and cast a wink at Lawyer Watson, who stood silently by.

"Thank you, my dear," said he; "but where's the money to come from?"

"Money? Bah!" she said. "Doesn't the Major earn a heap with his
bookkeeping, and haven't I had a raise lately? Why, we'll be as snug
and contented as pigs in clover. Can you get ready to come with me
today, Uncle John?"

"Yes," he said slowly. "I'll be ready, Patsy."

So the exodus from Elmhurst took place that very day, and Beth
travelled in one direction, while Louise, Patsy and Uncle John took
the train for New York. Louise had a seat in the parlor car, but Patsy
laughed at such extravagance.

"It's so much easier than walking," she said to Uncle John, "that the
common car is good enough," and the old man readily agreed with her.

Kenneth and Mr. Watson came to the station to see them off, and they
parted with many mutual expressions of friendship and good will.
Louise, especially, pressed an urgent invitation upon the new master
of Elmhurst to visit her mother in New York, and he said he hoped to
see all the girls again. They were really like cousins to him, by this
time. And after they were all gone he rode home on Nora's back quite
disconsolate, in spite of his wonderful fortune.

The lawyer, who had consented to stay at the mansion for a time, that
the boy might not be lonely, had already mapped put a plan for the
young heir's advancement. As he rode beside Kenneth he said:

"You ought to travel, and visit the art centers of Europe, and I shall
try to find a competent tutor to go with you."

"Can't you go yourself?" asked the boy.

The lawyer hesitated.

"I'm getting old, and my clients are few and unimportant, aside from
the Elmhurst interests," he said. "Perhaps I can manage to go abroad
with you."

"I'd like that," declared the boy. "And we'd stop in New York,
wouldn't we, for a time?"

"Of course. Do you want to visit New York especially?"

"Yes."

"It's rather a stupid city," said the lawyer, doubtfully.

"That may be," answered the boy. "But Patsy will be there, you know."

The Major was at the station to meet them. Uncle John had shyly
suggested a telegram, and Patsy had decided they could stand the
expense for the pleasure of seeing the old Dad an hour sooner.

The girl caught sight of him outside the gates, his face red and
beaming as a poppy in bloom and his snowy moustache bristling with
eagerness. At once she dropped her bundles and flew to the Major's
arms, leaving the little man in her wake to rescue her belongings and
follow after.

He could hardly see Patsy at all, the Major wrapped her in such an
ample embrace; but bye and bye she escaped to get her breath, and then
her eyes fell upon the meek form holding her bundles.

"Oh, Dad," she cried, "here's Uncle John, who has come to live with
us; and if you don't love him as much as I do I'll make your life
miserable!"

"On which account," said the Major, grasping the little man's hand
most cordially, "I'll love Uncle John like my own brother. And
surely," he added, his voice falling tenderly, "my dear Violet's
brother must be my own. Welcome, sir, now and always, to our little
home. It's modest, sir; but wherever Patsy is the sun is sure to
shine."

"I can believe that," said Uncle John, with a nod and smile.

They boarded a car for the long ride up town, and as soon as they were
seated Patsy demanded the story of the Major's adventures with his
colonel, and the old fellow rattled away with the eagerness of a
boy, telling every detail in the most whimsical manner, and finding
something humorous in every incident.

"Oh, but it was grand, Patsy!" he exclaimed, "and the Colonel wept on
my neck when we parted and stained the collar of me best coat, and he
give me a bottle of whiskey that would make a teetotaler roll his eyes
in ecstacy. 'Twas the time of my life."

"And you're a dozen years younger, Major!" she cried, laughing, "and
fit to dig into work like a pig in clover."

His face grew grave.

"But how about the money, Patsy dear?" he asked. "Did you get nothing
out of Jane Merrick's estate?"

"Not a nickle, Dad. 'Twas the best joke you ever knew. I fought with
Aunt Jane like a pirate and it quite won her heart. When she died she
left me all she had in the world."

"Look at that, now!" said the Major, wonderingly.

"Which turned out to be nothing at all," continued Patsy. "For another
will was found, made by Mr. Thomas Bradley, which gave the money to
his own nephew after Aunt Jane died. Did you ever?"

"Wonderful!" said the Major, with a sigh.

"So I was rich for half a day, and then poor as ever."

"It didn't hurt you, did it?" asked the Major. "You weren't vexed with
disappointment, were you, Patsy?"

"Not at all, Daddy."

"Then don't mind it, child. Like as not the money would be the
ruination of us all. Eh, sir?" appealing to Uncle John.

"To be sure," said the little man. "Jane left five thousand to me,
also, which I didn't get. But I'm not sorry at all."