“No, I haven’t got that,” said Mr. Chisholm, wondering what new “form” he would have to go through.
“You will have to go to an attorney to get it,” said the paymaster. “Of course, if he is going away, I shall have to have authority to pay the money to somebody.”
“By gum! Bring on the paper,” said Mr. Chisholm, looking around for a chair in which to seat himself.
“But I haven’t got the paper here. You will have to go to a lawyer to get it.”
Mr. Chisholm slowly went out of the paymaster’s office, and we all followed him. He kept on without saying a word, and finally he stopped in the office of the surrogate—the same man who had looked into his pistol when he was here before. In a few words he made known to him the situation.
“Why, certainly; you must have a power of attorney if you want to get the money,” said the surrogate. “I will make you out one in five minutes. But, mind you, you needn’t show it until you see a chance of getting the money.”
This new “form” was complied with, and Mr. Chisholm paid the surrogate the sum of ten dollars for his paper. In fact, I noticed that he didn’t charge less than ten dollars for anything. On the way back to the hotel Tom offered him the money, but Mr. Chisholm waved it aside.
“I am willing to pay ten dollars to have my eyes opened,” said he. “If anybody ever gets me to sign any papers again, I want to know it. I am done probating wills.”
Bob was considerably disappointed when he found that Tom wasn’t going to get his money, but of course he saw that it was all right. The next day we spent in buying clothes, and devoted the next to the purchase of souvenirs to remind Tom of his cattle life in Texas. On the next day Tom’s letter came. Some parts of it were brief and to the point, and ran as follows:
You had better come home now, and forget all about that five thousand dollars. You didn’t take it anyway, and why should the matter be laid to you? Your uncle walks with a cane, and was so excited over your letter that he brought it to me to reply to it. Come home and see him at any rate.