Maimie looked fearlessly at him. “Not your own,” she said.
“I’ve done as much for you as if you were! But I’m not going to bandy words with you, girl. The old lady was free to will her property as she chose; and if she chose to will it to me, nobody had a right to meddle. Is this your doing?”
“Miss Browne, you are not bound to answer questions put in such a manner as this,” the lawyer said.
“She’s bound to answer me, if I choose to insist,” Churton said, in his harshest manner. “Speak, girl! is this your doing?”
The lawyer spoke again. “Mrs. Briscoe was, as you have just stated, free to leave her property where she pleased. Some cause induced a passing change of plan: but about a month ago she reverted to her former intentions, and wrote to tell me so. It was not her wish that you should be made acquainted with the change.”
“When did she sign the codicil?” demanded Churton.
“Nearly three weeks ago,—as you may see by the date. I came here, but did not see you or Miss Browne.”
“My father and I were out for the day,” observed Maimie.
“Yes, no doubt; you took care of that,” said Churton.
“Aunt Briscoe settled it herself. I did not know it was to be on that day until we came back.”