me great comfort; but to obtain more of that balm I said, 'If she shouldn't intend to destroy the objects we speak of before her death she will probably have made some disposition by will.'
'By will?'
'Hasn't she made a will for your benefit?'
'Why, she has so little to leave. That's why she likes money,' said Miss Tita.
'Might I ask, since we are really talking things over, what you and she live on?'
'On some money that comes from America, from a lawyer. He sends it every quarter. It isn't much!'
'And won't she have disposed of that?'
My companion hesitated—I saw she was blushing. 'I believe it's mine,' she said; and the look and tone which accompanied these words betrayed so the absence of the habit of thinking of herself that I almost thought her charming. The next instant she added, 'But she had a lawyer once, ever so long ago. And some people came and signed something.'
'They were probably witnesses. And you were not asked to sign? Well then,' I argued, rapidly and hopefully, 'it is because you are the legatee; she has left all her documents to you!'
'If she has it's with very strict conditions,' Miss Tita responded, rising quickly, while the movement gave the words a little character of decision. They seemed to imply that the bequest would be accompanied with a command that the articles bequeathed should remain concealed from every inquisitive eye and that I was very much mistaken if I thought she was the person to depart from an injunction so solemn.
