Two Boys and a Fortune | Page 6

on making money till
I loved it for itself alone and could not bear to part with it even on the
chance of making more. So I left it all to draw interest except what
little it takes to support me in the poor way in which I live."
He paused and Sydney adjudged it proper to inquire.
"Then you have no relatives, no one dependent on you?"
"I have outlived them all," was the reply. "There was a boy, though,
who was once in my employ and whom I came to think a good deal of.
But he grew up and went into stocks and tried to bear the market
against me. I never forgave Maurice Darley for that. And yet I loved
him once. I brought him up, out of the gutter, as it were, and there was
a time when he loved me. There is another brother in your family
whom I see sometimes and who reminds me of him."
"Reginald-- Rex, as we call him-- you mean?"
"Yes, but perhaps he would not have done for me what Roy did this
afternoon. You have heard of it. He risked his life for mine. He will
make a good man. I am sure of it. And he is unselfish. To make him
happy you must make others happy around him. Yes, I will do it. Quick,
write down that I leave all my fortune unreservedly, to-- what is his full
name?"
"Whose full name?" Sydney had dropped his pen and sat staring at Mr.
Tyler as if in a daze.
"Why your brother-- Roy Pell's."
"Royal Fillmore Pell," Sydney repeated the name mechanically, still
too amazed at the inference he must draw from the question to be really
conscious of what he was saying.
"Thank you. A fine name it is, and fitted to a splendid boy. Then
write-- but no. I had determined not to leave it to him. What is his

mother's name? She must have it all outright. Then it can be used at
once in the way to please Roy best. Now Mrs. Pell's full name?"
"Jessica Fillmore Pell. I suppose, as a lawyer, I ought not to express
any surprise at what you are doing, but you can see how close home it
comes to me, Mr. Tyler. You know the relation in which I stand to this
family, with whom I am connected by no ties of blood, but who have
been so good to me."
"And you have deserved it, young man. I am not leaving money to a
family of whom I know nothing. Have you got that: all my fortune
unreservedly to Jessica Fillmore Pell?"
"Yes, Mr. Tyler."
"Roy knows something of this, and if people think it strange or hint that
I am out of my head to leave my money in this way, you can tell them
what he did for me this afternoon. That ought to satisfy them. Now I
want to tell you where my money is invested so that you can get at it
easily, for I want you, Sydney, to be one of my executors, and I will
take Dr. Martin for the other. Here he comes now. We will continue
this business presently."
Roy came in with the doctor; a cheery man, whom everybody in the
neighborhood liked.
"Doctor," began Mr. Tyler, before the physician could say anything, "I
want you to witness my will. Roy, run out to the kitchen and get Ann to
come in here."
"Ann," said Roy, appearing in the rear regions, "Mr. Tyler wants you to
come out and witness his will."
"Is the poor man dying then?" exclaimed the woman, looking
frightened.
"Oh, no, he only--"

"Never mind bothering Ann about that now," said the doctor presenting
himself at this moment Roy returned to the bedroom with the physician,
where he found that Mr. Tyler had decided he would have Sydney for a
witness in place of Ann.
"I'd rather have a man," he explained. "I forgot that he could do it just
as well as not."
Then the instrument was duly signed and witnessed.
"I am perfectly sane, you can declare, can't you, Dr. Martin?" asked the
miser when the thing was done. "I don't want any mistake to be made
about it."
"You need have no fear on that score,"
"Dinner's ready, Mr. Tyler," announced Ann, making her appearance at
this point.
"All right, you boys go out and eat it," said the old man. "The doctor
wants to see me I suppose. Ann can bring me a little broth in here
afterwards. And about signing that, Sydney, I want to add a clause
leaving something to Ann. I forgot about her."
Silently the two Pells went out into the dining room, and in almost