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s money?" "No. He was not the millionaire that many thought him. Miss Warren and her brother will be obliged to economize somewhat in their manner of living. But, with care _and_ economy, their income should be quite sufficient, without touching the principal, to--" "Hold on again; the income, you say. What is that income?" "Roughly speaking, a mere estimate, about twenty to twenty-five thousand yearly." Captain Elisha had stooped to pick up the pipe he had dropped. His fingers touched it, but they did not close. Instead he straightened up in his chair as if suffering from an electric shock. "Mr. Graves," he began; "Mr. Graves, are you cra--. No, I asked you that before. But--but twenty _thousand_ a--a year! For mercy sakes, what's the principal?" "In the neighborhood of five hundred thousand, I believe. Of course, we had no authority to investigate thoroughly. That will be a part of your duties, but--" "S-shh! Let me soak this into my brains a little at a time. 'Bije leaves his children five hundred thousand, half a million, and--and they've got to _economize_! And I'm.... Would you mind readin' me that will?" The attorney drew a long envelope from his pocket, extracted therefrom a folded document, donned a pair of gold-mounted eyeglasses, and began to read aloud. The will was short and very concise. "'I, Abijah Rodgers Warren, being of sound mind--'" "You're sartin that part's true, are you?" broke in the captain. Graves nodded, rather impatiently, and continued. "'Of sound mind, memory and understanding, do make, publish and declare this to be my last will and testament, in manner following, that is to say:-- "'First:--I direct my executor hereinafter named to pay my just debts and funeral expenses as soon as maybe convenient after my decease.'" "Did he owe much, think likely?" asked Captain Elisha. "Apparently not. Very little beyond the usual bills of a household." "Yes, yes. Grocer and butcher and baker and suchlike. Well, I guess they won't have to put in a keeper. Heave ahead." "'Second:--I give, devise and bequeath all my estate, both real and personal, to my brother, Elisha Warren, if he survive--'" The captain gasped. "To me?" he cried, in utter amazement. "He leaves it to _me_? 'Bije leaves--say, Mr. Graves, there's some mistake here somewhere, sure! And besides, you said--" "Just a minute, Captain Warren, if you please. If you'll be patient and not interrupt, I'll try
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