e," said Constance. "But from what
I saw to-day, my fears are on the other side."

In the mean time we were taking such steps as the responsibility of our
position required, towards getting possession of the property,
which, under the will of Captain Allen, must come into our hands. My
co-executor, Mr. James Wilkinson, a merchant of S----, was for adopting
the most summary proceedings. He was annoyed at the questions, doubts,
and delays which Judge Bigelow and Squire Floyd permitted to intervene;
and more especially by the intermeddling of Dewey, towards whom, from
some cause, he entertained hostile feeling.

As a matter of course, we were guided in all our movements by Mr.
Wallingford. At the earliest term of court, we brought forward the claim
of Mrs. Wallingford, under the last will and testament of her uncle.
A feeble effort was made to throw doubt upon the genuineness of the
document; but the oath of the witnesses to the signature of Captain
Allen settled the question beyond the reach of cavil, and the executors
under the first will were ordered to transfer, by a certain date, all
property belonging to the estate into our hands.

I saw plainly enough, from the beginning, that the idea of giving an
account of their stewardship was not an agreeable one to either of the
executors under the old will. The direction which the property must take
was one that would not admit of any holding back or covering up on their
part. They would be required to exhibit clean hands.

The property clearly shown as having passed into their possession, was
the old mansion and valuable grounds, which had been sold, under an
order of the court, at a heavy sacrifice--bringing only thirty-five
thousand dollars, instead of sixty thousand, its real value--and the
proceeds re-invested. Then there was other town property worth twenty
thousand dollars, and stocks valued at as much more: making seventy-five
thousand dollars in all as the principal. Interest added, would swell
the sum for which they must give account to over one hundred thousand
dollars.

It was found, on looking into the business, that the whole of this
immense sum was invested in the cotton mills. The search made into the
legal condition of these mill properties was not satisfactory. There
were several mortgages against them, one of which, for twenty-five
thousand dollars, was held by the Clinton Bank as collateral security
for loans.

After various delays and failures on t