"Now, look here, Letty Caswell: you are not going off so. You are going to give up your claim upon this property before you leave the house. If you don't, I will make you."
"How do you propose to make me?" asked Letty, looking him full in the face.
If she had not known Joe before, she might have been frightened; but she was well aware that he was at heart an arrant coward. As she took a firm step to pass him, he saw at once that he better yield the point; and she was soon outside of the door.
When Van Horn heard the result of the conference, he said they were a pack of fools. He'd have the money, he said, or part of it at least: he'd be bound, he would. Accordingly, he contrived to join John on his way home one day.
He understood that Joe had been founding a claim to the property of the late Mrs. White upon that foolish affair of Mrs. Train's. He and Mrs. Van Horn had signed the paper as witnesses, merely to gratify a whim of the old lady, who was evidently in her dotage. But, as long as that fact could not be proved, he supposed Mr. Caswell knew the will was good in law, though perhaps not in equity. There was no doubt whatever that if Joe should bring a suit, he would gain it, and he (Caswell) would have all the costs to pay. Would it not be better to come to some arrangement? Perhaps a compromise could be made which would save all trouble and prevent ill feeling. He had no interest in the matter, he added,—none in the world,—except that his natural disposition always led him to act as peace-maker. True, it was a thankless office in most cases; but he did not care for that, if he could only do good and prevent mischief.
It seemed likely to be equally thankless in this case. John heard all this palaver, as he thought it, without interruption, and then quietly informed the peace-maker that the whole affair was in the hands of Mr. Trescott, who was Mrs. White's executor and would manage the matter as he thought proper.
Mr. Van Horn was sorry to hear it. Mr. Trescott was doubtless a smart man; but still he was a lawyer; and every one knew that lawyers liked to make business for themselves: he was sorry to say it; but he had too much reason to know. He had always had the highest opinion of Mr. Caswell's judgment; but it would certainly be lowered if he persisted in involving himself in such a lawsuit, when all the facts of the case were plainly against him, simply because he was afraid of his wife.
Mr. Caswell was of opinion that he could endure a fall in Mr. Van Horn's good graces without breaking any bones; and, being now at his own gate and disinclined to hear further arguments, walked into the house and shut the door after him.
It is needless to add that the suit never was brought. Mr. Van Horn knew very well how it would end; and he had no notion of letting any of his partner's money be spent in useless litigation.