"And yet I don't see how we can reduce it if we are to live as people in our circumstances might reasonably be expected to live."
"We must cut off something."
"That is what I think. If we give the park and the library building to the town why not let the town pay the cost of caring for them?"
"Then we could save the interest on that other hundred thousand."
"Exactly, and nobody will suffer. The gift of the property alone is magnificent. Who is going to complain of us? We will decide now to give the real estate and then stop."
Two days later Mr. Grimes came home early from the bank with a letter in his hand. He looked white and for a moment after entering his wife's room he could hardly command utterance.
"I have some bad news for you, dear—terrible news," he said, almost falling into a chair.
The thought flashed through Mrs. Grimes' mind that the General had made a later will which had been found and which revoked the bequest to George. She could hardly whisper:
"What is it?"
"The executors write to me that the million dollars left to me by the General draws only about four per cent. interest."