That was all.
CHAPTER X
LET HIM HANG
The will was duly signed and witnessed, and bore a notarial seal. It was dated in the hand of the testator, in addition to the acknowledgment of the notary, all regular, and unquestionably done.
“His son!” said Sol, amazed, looking around with big eyes. “Why, Isom he never had no son!”
“Do we know that?” asked Judge Little, as if to raise the question of reasonable doubt.
Son or no son, until that point should be determined he would have the administration of the estate, with large and comfortable fees.
“Well, I’ve lived right there acrost the road from him all my life, and all of his, too; and I reckon I’d purty near know if anybody knowed!” declared Sol. “I went to school with Isom, I was one of the little fellers when he was a big one, and I was at his weddin’. My wife she laid out his first wife, and I dug her grave. She never had no children, judge; you know that as well as anybody.”
Judge Little coughed dryly, thoughtfully, his customary aspect of deep meditation more impressive than ever.
“Sometimes the people we believe we know best turn out to be the ones we know least,” said he. “Maybe we knew only one side of Isom’s life. Every man has his secrets.”