But he knew not that in that upper chamber a deed was being enacted which would place him upon the pauper list as far as money was concerned.
“I wish you would stay here with me,” said the rich man to the lawyer, “until my nephew returns, and tell him of the change in my will, and I do not think he will mind it much, for he always pretended to care a great deal for his cousin.”
The lawyer smiled sarcastically and answered.
“I shall not leave you, Mr. Benson, and what shall I do with this old will?”
“Give it to me,” responded the rich man, and he took the document in his fingers, and having split it in two asked that it should be burned before his eyes.
After accomplishing this the lawyer sat down and waited, and in the meantime the doctor met the nephew in the hall, and, shaking hands, replied that the invalid was somewhat better.
“He wants to be kept quiet, that is all,” replied the doctor.
“He can have all the quiet he wants, for all of me,” responded the young man with a shrug of his shoulders; “I am not in love with the air of a sick chamber.”
“I have observed that,” dryly replied the doctor.
“Well—well—would you mind if I were to ask a plain question, doctor?” and as the medical man inclined his head, he proceeded with little show of embarrassment: