"What is the matter? What in the world are you crying about?"
"I don't want to be rich, sir; indeed, I never thought of myself. Oh,
dear! I shall be so trammelled, so tempted with all this. I don't
want it, sir."
"You are a fool. What do you want, boy?" said Mr. Fielding angrily to
a boy, who was standing at the door, laughing immoderately, though in a
suppressed manner.
"I have a note from Father Fabian, sir," said the urchin, who gave him
the note, and rushed out of the office, while his laughter,
unsuppressed, made the street echo with its mirthful sound.
Mr. Fielding tore open the note, and read:--
"DEAR SIR: I find that it will be impossible for me to see you, as I
wished to do, to-day. Ere this you have been informed, no doubt, by
May Brooke of the recovery of the lost will. I can only say, with the
permission of the penitent, who, through the fear of the Judgment of
Almighty God, and a sincere desire for salvation, restored it; that it
is the same which you drew up the day Mr. Stillinghast was taken ill;
which declaration has been made to me under an oath of the most solemn
character. You may, therefore, feel quite safe in making such business
arrangements in connection with it as your discretion may suggest.
"Very sincerely yours,
"STEPHEN FABIAN."
"Of course," said the lawyer, looking hurt, "it must be a most delicate
case where such secrecy is observed. But one cannot control his
suspicions.
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