"My dear Gray:
"The more I think over our interview to-day the better pleased I am at
the arrangement we have arrived at. You know how particular I am
about my wills. I regard them from a serious and even an artistic
point of view. I look upon a will as the crowning stone of a man's
life, a crown to be placed on the shrine of his memory, a monument to
hand down his name to the ages. My last will pleases me much. It is
finished in all its details. It is, I may venture to say, truly
original. I do not think it has a flaw in its construction, and, when
carried into force, it will be a means of diffusing happiness and
adding to the benefit of the human race.
"As you are well aware, Gray, I am a rich man; the rich have many
trials: they are the envied of the poor, and that in itself is
disagreeable; they are also much worried by relations. I have never
married; there is, literally, not a soul in the world belonging to me
who bears my name, and yet I have relatives--many relatives. All my
relations are kind, and solicitous for my welfare. When I am dead
they will one and all express sorrow at my departure. There will be a
goodly gathering of them at my funeral, and they will congregate
afterwards at my house to hear my will read. I don't wish my will to
be read. You, as my only trustee, are to take the necessary legal
steps with regard to it, but I don't wish it to be read aloud to my
relatives. As, however, they will be naturally curious to know in
what way I dispose of my property, you may mention to them, in any
manner you think fit, the following particulars:
"I have appointed in my will heirs to all my worldly estates, my
property in lands and houses, in stocks and shares. The names of my
heirs I have not thought fit to disclose; they may turn up at any time
between the date of my death and five years after, and whenever they
do appear on the scene, prepared to fulfil a condition which I have
named, my property goes to them as appointed in my will.
"If, five years having gone by, the true heirs do not come to claim
the property, one-half of it is to go to different charities named at
full length in my will, and the other half is to be divided in equal
shares among all my blood relations.
"Until the end of the five years, or until the true heirs appear, my
property is to accumulate; my furniture, plate, valuable china, and
jewels are to remain unsold.
"I have, however, given directions in my will that a certain small
legacy is to be given without any delay to a young girl, the daughter
of a relative.
"This girl came to me a week ago with a request that I should give her
sufficient money to enable her to attend a school of art. I hate art
schools; the word art, as applied to them, is a misnomer. I have my
own views with regard to art--she is a mistress who must be wooed in a
very different manner. This girl, Rosamund Lindley is her name, trod
severely on my most cherished prejudices when she made her daring
request.
"To show, however, that I bear her good-will, I leave her, and request
that it may be given to her at once, the valuable ruby ring which
belonged to my mother, and which for many years I wore myself. You
will find the ring in my mother's jewel-case, in drawer fifty, room
eight, in the second story of this house.
"Rosamund Lindley and her mother may possibly attend my funeral. I
hope they will. In that case, please give Rosamund the ruby ring in
the presence of my other relatives, and, although I lay no command
upon her in the matter, tell her, if she values the memory of old
Geoffrey Rutherford, not to sell the ring.
"I am, my dear Gray,--
"Yours faithfully,--
"Geoffrey Rutherford."
Immediately after reading the letter Mr Gray put his hand into his
waistcoat pocket, and drew out a small, old-fashioned morocco case.
"You will like, ladies and gentlemen, to see the ruby ring," he said, in
his blandest tones.