JOHN CONSULTS A LAWYER.
Mrs. Oakley felt very well pleased with the arrangement she had made
about John. Her brother lived nearly one hundred miles distant. She
would have liked John even further off; but this would remove him from
the ability to interfere with her plans. She felt, too, that she would
be more comfortable with him out of the house. Until the will was found
_and destroyed_ she would not feel safe, and she did not venture to
search thoroughly till John was out of the way.
But there was one important question: Would John consent to go? On this
point Mrs. Oakley felt doubtful. She knew that it would be a grievous
disappointment to him to leave his class at the academy, and all his
young friends in the village, not to speak of his natural regret at
leaving the house where he had been born, and which had always been his
home. Under the circumstances, therefore, she felt that it would be
best to use a little stratagem.
Meanwhile John had been thinking earnestly of his position and his
duty. He felt that he needed advice, and he determined to call upon
Squire Selwyn, who, as I have already said, was his father's legal
adviser and intimate friend. His son Sam, also, was John's best friend,
and thus the families had a double bond of union.
The day succeeding Mr. Huxter's arrival was Wednesday. On that day
the afternoon session at the academy was over an hour earlier than
usual, the only exercise being declamation, or, on alternate weeks, the
reading of compositions. John thought this would be the most favorable
opportunity he would have for consulting Mr. Selwyn.
Squire Selwyn's office was a small, neat one-story building situated
on the main street, not far from the academy building. It was painted
white, with green blinds, and had been built expressly for a law office.
Sam and John walked home from school together as usual. When they came
to the office John said:--
"I'm going in to see your father, Sam; so I'll bid you good-afternoon."
"Got some law business for the governor?"
"Maybe."
"Then you better consult me," said Sam. "I swept out the office for a
week once when the office-boy was off on vacation, and you can't think
what a lot of law I picked up in that time."
"I dare say," said John, smiling. "I don't doubt your qualifications,
but I think I'll consult your father this time."
"All right," said Sam, more seriously. "I'm glad you're going to. The
fact is, Mrs. Oakley is doing her best to circumvent you, and you must
do your best, or she'll succeed."
"I'm afraid she will at any rate," said John.
"I wish you could find that will."
"So do I."
"Do you believe in dreams, John?" asked Sam, lowering his voice.
"What makes you ask that?"
"Because I dreamed last night that I found the will. It seemed to me
that it was very dark, and I came upon Mrs. Oakley and Ben, each with a
lantern in their hand, searching about on the ground for it. I followed
them softly, and all at once spied a white paper. Mrs. Oakley saw it at
the same time, and reached out for it, but I was too quick, and carried
it off in triumph."
"Is that all?"
"Not quite. When she and Ben saw that I had got it they dropped their
lanterns and ran after me, or rather Ben threw his at my head. It was
an awful whack. Just then I woke up, and found that I had struck my
head against the bedpost."
"Well," said John, laughing, "how do you interpret that dream?"
"In this way. I think that the will is going to be found some day, and
that I shall be the one to find it."
"I certainly hope you will. It would make a great change in my
circumstances."
"What'll you give me if I find it, John?"
"A gold watch," said John.
"Well, that's worth working for."
"You seem to be in earnest about it."
"There's many a true word spoken in jest. The time may come when I
shall remind you of your promise."
"I hope it will. You will find that I keep my promises."
"All right. Well, there's the squire looking out the window, so I'll
leave you. Good luck!"
John entered the office.
"Good-afternoon, John," said Squire Selwyn. "How are things going on at
home?"
"We are all well," said John.
"I'm glad to hear it. Won't you sit down?"
The lawyer was a man of middle height. He had a pleasant face and
manner, but his eye was keen and penetrating, and seemed to be reading
the person upon whom it rested. He was deservedly popular, for it was
always his endeavor to conciliate rather than to foment quarrels, and
he more than once succeeded in dissuading a client from a lawsuit
which would have put a considerable sum of money into his own pocket.
He was a safe legal adviser, and an honest lawyer. He was glad to see
John, for he had always been attracted towards him, not only because of
his friendship for the father, but because of John's truthfulness and
straightforwardness.
Seeing that John hesitated, he said, by way of encouragement:--
"If there is anything I can do for you, don't hesitate to ask it. Your
father was my friend, and I hope to be regarded by his son in the same
light."
"It is because of that that I have called upon you, Squire Selwyn,"
said John. "You know, of course," he added, after a little hesitation,
"how my father left his property?"
"I know how he _appears_ to have left it," said the lawyer,
significantly.
"I would like to ask you a question, Squire Selwyn," said John; "but of
course you will not answer it unless you think proper."
"Very properly put. Ask your question, and I will decide as to its
fitness."
"It is this: Do you know whether my father made any later will than the
one which was found?"
"I have no hesitation in answering your question. He did."
"How long since was it made?"
"Only three months before he died."
"I suppose that it disposed of the property differently?"
"It disposed of it as the law would have done if no will had been made.
Your stepmother was to have her thirds; the rest of the property would
have gone to you. The matter might have been left to the law but for
the existence of the former will, which was in Mrs. Oakley's charge,
and which she said that she had mislaid."
"Who would have been my guardian under the last will, Squire Selwyn?"
"Your father asked me to assume that office, and I consented
cheerfully, not only from my friendship for him, but because I have a
very good opinion of you," said Squire Selwyn.
"Thank you, sir," said John, earnestly.
"Let me add, my young friend," said the lawyer, kindly, "that I hope
you will come to me as freely for advice as if I really filled this
office."
"I will, sir," said John. "I am so situated that I need a friend to
advise me who is older and wiser than myself."
"Apply to me freely at all times," said the lawyer, pleased with John's
modest demeanor.
"There is one thing I want to tell you," said John; "I think my
father's last will is still in existence."
"What grounds have you for such a belief?" asked Squire Selwyn,
regarding him closely.
"I will tell you, sir," said John.
He then related the particulars of his last interview with his father,
and the great effort which the sick man made to communicate something
to him.
Squire Selwyn listened attentively.
"Will you repeat the words which you could distinguish?" he said.
"I distinctly heard father say, 'my will,' and I thought I heard him
say also 'drawer.'"
"I am glad you told me this," said the lawyer, thoughtfully. "Did he
attempt to say more?"
"There was no chance. Mrs. Oakley entered the chamber, and ordered me
out. She said I was disturbing father."
"Do you think she heard the words which your father uttered?"
"I know she could not, for it was only by placing my ear close to his
mouth that I could distinguish the little I did."
"How did your father seem affected by the interruption?"
"He seemed disappointed."
"Didn't you have any further chance to speak with your father?"
"No; Mrs. Oakley would never admit me again."
The lawyer sat for a moment plunged in thought. At length he said:--
"Have you ever chanced, since your father's death, to see your
stepmother searching the papers he left behind?"
"Yes, sir."
"Tell me when."
John related the circumstances.
"Did she give any explanation?"
"She said she was looking for a receipt."
"Didn't she seem disturbed at your seeing her thus engaged?"
"She seemed angry, and accused me of prying into her actions."
"What opinion did you form of her object at that time?" asked the
lawyer.
"I thought she was looking for the will," said John, frankly.
"Are your relations with your stepmother pleasant?" asked Squire Selwyn.
"I am sorry to say they are not," said John. "If they had been, I
would not have troubled myself about the will. But I can see that Mrs.
Oakley is determined to persecute me, and make my life unhappy, and
that she is determined not to carry out any of my father's plans about
my education. She has already taken away my horse, and sold it. She
intended to give it to Ben, but he had an unlucky adventure with it one
afternoon."
"I heard of that," said the lawyer, smiling. "He got thrown, didn't he?"
"Yes, sir. That cured him of wanting to ride, and so the horse was
sold."
"It was a present to you from your father, was it not?"
"Yes, sir. Ben received at the same time a gold watch, which he still
has."
"That seems hardly fair. One question more: Have you any knowledge of
any secret drawer in your father's desk, or in any article which he
used to own?"
"No, sir."
"I suppose not. If there had been one, he would hardly have disclosed
its whereabouts to a boy. Well, my young friend," said the lawyer,
rising, as if to terminate the interview, "I am glad to have received
this call from you. I regard your information as important. It
strengthens the conviction which I before entertained, that _your
father's last will is in existence somewhere_. Out of regard to your
interests, as well as to carry out his last wishes, I sincerely hope
that it may be found. But I need not tell you that in the present
position of affairs the greatest caution is absolutely necessary. I am
not prepared to advise you at present, but shall take your case under
my most serious consideration."
John took his cap and books, and Squire Selwyn accompanied him to the
door of the office. As they stood on the threshold, an open wagon drove
by. Both looked up simultaneously, and an expression of vexation swept
over the lawyer's face as he recognized Mrs. Oakley and her brother.
Mrs. Oakley's eye lighted up as it rested upon John.
"He is getting dangerous," she thought. "It is well I am going to be
rid of him."