"Madam, I have seen Mr. Brownson"s will."
"_That_ will, my dear sir, is not worth the paper it is written on.
Mr. Brownson was out of his _head_, and _imagined_ he was possessed of that sum in bonds and stock. If you can find any such possession, no one would welcome it more gladly than I. You can readily prove the truth."
Harry Bennett gazed bewildered from his mother-in-law to Doctor Wadsworth, and then said in a low voice, as if to himself:
"Caught and caged."
"And I am glad of it," exclaimed the doctor, who was truly glad of anything to end that very embarra.s.sing interview. "Come, Bennett, we must arrange our trip to suit the extent of our purse, and be happy with the prizes we have won."
"Well, madam, I must say that the old gentleman"s will _was_ worth something. For I"ll own up now, it helped very much to secure you _one_ very nice young man for your son. I"ll speak a word for him, although he has been _done up to a very Brown son!_ I"m ready now, Wadsworth, and we won"t shorten our trip one mile; for _I"ve_ got a fortune, thanks to my old uncle. Yes, and _another_, I"ll have to admit (there she is now), thanks to her father"s will."
Mrs. Brownson could not resist a smile. She had no misgivings about her children"s future happiness. If they had not already secured their husbands" affection, she knew they would soon; for who could help loving such lovely girls!