Part 29 (1/2)
”That sounds like your dear mother, and I am glad you have her low, clear voice, like the melody of a silver harp string; but your father is quite right in urging careful inspection of matters that have been so long intrusted solely to me. Now, I believe we have gone over the important points, except that railroad muddle, which is still undecided.
I brought suit over a year ago, and as the new branch and spurs run through the middle of one of your best cotton fields on Willow Creek plantation, I hope the next term of court will give us a satisfactory settlement. Boynton is a good overseer--not a graduate of a college of technology nor an agricultural chemist, who knows from looking at the soil the exact day when the Noachian flood left your lands dry, nor is he a new-fangled 'manager,' but he is just an overseer of auld lang syne; a trifle lax, but our old-fas.h.i.+oned plantation rules are dead as Pharaoh, and he winks at lapses he cannot prevent. However, he keeps the repair machinery busy on fences and stables, the negroes like him, and you will find your leases and contracts all signed properly. Of course you are aware your grandmother left instructions that when you married, or as soon as you were twenty-one, $5,000 should be paid to Mrs.
Mitch.e.l.l. I consulted the bishop, and we thought it best to defer this matter until her return to America, but it should not be delayed longer, and here is the check, which you can hand to her. With the payment of this legacy her annual allowance ends.”
Eglah opened the table drawer, drew out an envelope, and laid it before him.
”Enclose, address, and seal it. Before you leave the house, please deliver it to her.”
”Have you any questions to ask? Do not hesitate, if there is anything else you do not understand, anything you wish to know.”
”Absolutely nothing, except an adequate way of thanking you for all your patient goodness. If you can explain how I shall accomplish this, you will increase my huge debt.”
Judge Kent rose and smiled benignly.
”Eglah, I wonder it has not occurred to you that a proper recognition of the value of Mr. Whitfield's services ought to involve a willingness and effort on your part to relieve him entirely of the burden of responsibility he has borne so long, and which, under my guidance, you are quite capable of a.s.suming. You are of age, and the trustees.h.i.+p should end at once.”
For fully a moment she pondered the suggestion, then laid her hand on the lawyer's arm.
”Tell me frankly whether you prefer to surrender the management of our business affairs? Irrespective of my individual feeling, your wishes alone must decide the matter, and you can best determine if the tax upon your time is too onerous.”
Mr. Whitfield drew the tin box before her, and pointed to a large envelope marked ”Last Will and Testament of Patricia Maurice.”
”I imagine you scarcely comprehend some of the conditions that place me in a peculiarly embarra.s.sing position. Here is the will of your grandmother; I preserved for you the original draft in her handwriting.
The last page bears upon the question under discussion. Read it now, and then, whatever your wishes, I individually shall obey them.”
Judge Kent seated himself, lifted the decanter in front of him, and filled a gla.s.s.
”Meantime, will you join me in a gla.s.s of sherry?”
”No, thank you; my doctor restricts me to claret.”
Very slowly Eglah read the broad sheet, and her countenance changed, clouded, as she betrayed her annoyance by taking her under lip between her teeth.
”We beg your pardon, Mr. Whitfield; we had entirely forgotten that clause. Unless I marry, your trustees.h.i.+p continues until I am thirty years old, should I live so long.”
”Not necessarily mine. I can resign, or death may release me, but some other person would be required.”
”A most unjust and absurd provision,” said the judge, draining his second gla.s.s, and striving to conceal his remembrance of the fact that Mrs. Maurice had expressly forbidden his connection with the trustees.h.i.+p.
Mr. Whitfield smiled.
”We lawyers all know testators use only their individual standards of justice, wisdom, and fitness.”
Eglah had folded the paper, replaced it in the envelope, and turned to the lawyer.
”It appears that if for any reason you should relinquish this responsibility, your successor is already appointed, and in that event I should become practically the ward of the Chancery Court, which never resigns, never dies.”
She looked straight into her father's watching eyes, and continued slowly, distinctly:
”I shall not marry. Your stewards.h.i.+p, dear Mr. Whitfield, involves some additional years of trouble for you, but I am so deeply grateful to you, I shall certainly try to cause as little annoyance as possible.”