ping under his pillow
for the key of that chest? You woman, there--you wife of this man--I'm
main grieved you should ha' seen this. Lord knows I had the will to
hide it!"

The wife, who had sunk into the nearest chair, and lay there huddled
like a half-empty bag, answered with a whimper.

"Stop that whining!" roared William, turning upon her, "or I'll break
every bone in your skin."

"Fie on you, man! Why, she tells me you haven't struck her for a whole
year," put in 'Lizabeth, immeasurably scornful.

"So, cousin, you've found out what I meant by 'we.' Lord! you fancied
_you_ was the one as was goin' to settle down wi' me an' be comfortable,
eh? You're jilted, my girl, an' this is how you vent your jealousy.
You played your hand well; you've turned us out. It's a pity--eh?--you
didn't score this last trick."

"What do you mean?" The innuendo at the end diverted her wrath at the
man's hateful coarseness.

"Mean? Oh, o' course, you're innocent as a lamb! Mean? Why, look
here."

He opened the chest again, and, drawing out a scrap of folded foolscap,
began to read :--

"_I, Ebenezer Transom, of Compton Burrows, in the parish of
Compton, yeoman, being of sound wit and health, and willing, though
a sinner, to give my account to God, do hereby make my last will and
testament_."

"_My house, lands, and farm of Compton Burrows, together with every
stick that I own, I hereby (for her good care of me) give and
bequeath to Elizabeth Rundle, my dead sister's child_"

--"Let be, I tell you!"

But 'Lizabeth had snatched the paper from him. For a moment the devil in
his eye seemed to meditate violence. But he thought better of it; and
when she asked for the candle held it beside her as she read on slowly.

"_ . . . to Elizabeth Rundle, my dead sister's child, desiring
that she may marry and bequeath the same to the heirs of her body;
less the sum of one shilling sterling, which I command to be sent
to my only surviving son William--_"

"You needn't go on," growled William.

"_ . . . because he's a bad lot, and he may so well know I think
so. And to this I set my hand, this 17th day of September, 1856._"
"_Signed_"
"_Ebenezer Transom._"

"_Witnessed by_"
"_John Hooper._"
"_Peter Tregaskis._"

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