busy man, and if
I make an appointment for a certain time, I like the other fellow to be
there also," and he smiled at his son.

"I'll be there, father," promised Dick.

So now he was hurrying on to keep his appointment. His home was about
two miles from the town of Hamilton Corners, in one of our eastern
states, the place having been named in honor of Mr. Hamilton, who, as
will be told later, was at the head of many industries that gave the
town its importance.

"I wonder what it can all be about?" mused Dick, as he turned his horse
into the driveway that led to the mansion.

In a vague way he knew that his mother had been very wealthy in her own
right; almost as wealthy as Mr. Hamilton, who was many times a
millionaire. But Dick had no idea of the provisions of his mother's
will. He had often heard his father speak of what a wise and far-seeing
woman Mrs. Hamilton was; but Dick, who was a healthy, happy youth, fond
of all kinds of sports, had not up to this time given much thought to
the future.

Now, to-day, he was to be given a glimpse into it, and he was not a
little sobered by the thoughts of the coming interview.

CHAPTER II

A STRANGE WILL

"Well, I'm glad to see you are on time, Dick," said Mr. Hamilton, as his
son, having left Rex at the stables, and sent one of the grooms on a
horse to the aid of Henry, entered the handsome library. "Right to the
minute. That is what I like to see. It speaks well for what we have in
hand."

Dick had never known his father to be quite so solemn save on one former
occasion, and that was the dreadful day when the house was dark and in
confusion, followed by a strange stillness, and then his loving mother
was seen no more. She had gone away--somewhere--he did not understand
where until long afterward, and it now made him a little sad to recall
the scene.

But his thoughts were interrupted by a sudden rush of feet, and a big
bulldog, with fore legs arched almost grotesquely, and with two big
teeth showing from under the upper lip, leaped joyously upon him.

"Grit, old boy!" exclaimed Dick, as he caressed the brute, handsome in
its very ugliness, a dog, the look of which impressed strangers with
fear as to its temper, but which, to all friends, was as gentle as a
kitten. It was a fine specimen of the bulldog, of good stock and very
valuable.

"My son," began Mr. Hamilton, as he drew from his pocket a folded paper,
"I asked you to meet me here to-day to lis