"I suppose you don't know, Letty, that my poor mother made a will?" she began, after Letty was seated.
"I heard so," replied Letty.
"She has left me all her property:—perhaps you heard that too?" answered Agnes.
"I supposed she would, of course," said Letty: "it was the only natural arrangement."
"There! I told Joe I knew you would say so," said Agnes. "You are always reasonable, Letty. But Joe says that it will be necessary for you to sign some paper giving up your claim. It is of no consequence, you know,—only a form that the lawyers like to go through."
"I don't at all see how that can be necessary," said Letty, coolly. "I never made the least claim to your mother's property. Why should I?"
"You shouldn't, of course; but Joe says that, unless you sign this paper, Mr. Trescott may make a disturbance with Aunt Eunice's will. As it was worded, you would seem to have an equal claim with myself to the money she left mother, and which mother has left to me."
"But how could your mother leave you that money, Agnes, when it was never hers?" replied Letty, gently, but decidedly. "Aunt Eunice did not leave it to her, but merely the use of it during her life. She had no more right to leave it to you than she had to leave you Mr. Trescott's house or the City Hall."
Agnes's face flushed; but she made a great effort at self-command.
"Now, Letty, don't be unreasonable. You must see that, having taken care of poor mother, as we did, during all the latter part of her life, we have the best right to this money. If you had ever done any thing for her, it would be different; but she has lived with us for the last five years, as you well know, and—"