"So you are John Winthrop?" he said in way of preliminary. You may
hand a card case full of your name to a lawyer, and still he will
insist upon a verbal admission.
"I have always been led to believe so," I answered smartly, placing my
hat beside the chair in which I sat down. "How did you manage to
locate me in this big city?"
"Your uncle had seen some of your signed articles in New York papers,
and said that in all probability I should find you here. A few
inquiries set me on your track." Here he pulled out a lengthy document
from his handbag. "I confess, however," he added, "that I am somewhat
disappointed in your looks."
"Disappointed in my looks!" was my cry. "What sort of a duffer were
you expecting to see?"
He laughed. "Well, your uncle gave me the idea that I should find a
good-for-nothing hack-writer, a dweller in some obscure garret."
"If that is the case, what under the sun did he send you up here for?"
The merriment went out of the old man's face and his eyes became grave.
"Of that anon. Let me proceed with my business and read the will to
you. You will find it rather a remarkable document."
I settled back in my chair in a waiting attitude. To tell the truth, I
was somewhat confused by all this preamble. To his son my uncle left
the bulk of his property, which amounted to more than a million. I was
listless. The head overseer received the munificent sum of $50,000; to
the butler, the housekeeper and the cook he gave $10,000 each. I began
to grow interested. He was very liberal to his servants. Several
other names were read, and my interest assumed the color of anxiety.
When the lawyer stopped to unfold the last flap, I spoke.
"And where in the world do I come in?"
"In the sense you understand, you do not come in."
I stared at him in amazement. "I don't come in?" I repeated vaguely.
"Ah," reaching down for my hat, "then I go out, as it were;" as
brilliant as a London yellow fog. "What the devil does all this mean?"
I started to rise.
"Wait!" he commanded. "'To my nephew, John Winthrop, I bequeath the
sum of $1,000 to be presented to him in person immediately after this
will is probated, and with the understanding that he shall make no
further demand upon my son and heir in the future.' That is all,"
concluded the lawyer, folding the document. "I have the check in my
pocket."