In his full and musical tones the attorney read the preliminary parts of the instrument, and then commenced upon the principal items of the will.  First came several legacies to charitable institutions and to personal friends; after which was a legacy of ten thousand dollars to Emily Dumont, to be paid in Cincinnati by his brother.  The testator further declared that the said Emily was manumitted, and should proceed under the guidance of his brother to the place designated for the payment of the legacy.

Emily, who had scarcely heeded the provisions of the will until the mention of her name attracted her attention, was, as may be supposed, somewhat astonished to hear her own name in connection with a legacy.  She raised her sad eyes from the floor, and heard the other stipulations in regard to her.  So utterly unexpected, so terribly revolting, was the clause which pronounced her a slave, that for a time she did not realize its awful import.  But the blank dismay of her friends, the well-counterfeited surprise of Jaspar and Maxwell, brought her to a painful sense of her position.  She attempted to rise, but in the act the color forsook her face, and she sunk back insensible.  In this condition she was conveyed to her room.

The attorney completed the reading of the will, though, after the extraordinary incident which had just occurred, but little attention was given him.  The witnesses at once recognized the strange character, and acknowledged the signatures to be genuine.  Here, then, thought they, was the reason why the provisions of the will had been concealed from them.  So impressed were they with the apparent purpose of Colonel Dumont in throwing the veil of secrecy over the contents of his will, that the very strangeness of it seemed to confirm its genuineness; and they did not scrutinize it so closely as under other circumstances they probably would have done.

How often may a good motive be tortured, by the appearance of evil, into the most despicable criminality!  Colonel Dumont in this will had devised large sums of money to various charitable institutions, and in the event of his life being prolonged, did not wish to be pointed at and lauded for this act.  True charity is modest, and Colonel Dumont did not desire to see his name blazoned forth to the world for doing that which he honestly and religiously deemed his duty.

This modesty had favored Jaspar’s plans.  No one could now gainsay the will he had invented; and he felt strong in his position, especially after the witnesses had assented to their signatures.

Among the persona who had been present in the library was Mr. Faxon, an aged and worthy clergyman.  He had for many years been an intimate friend of Colonel Dumont, and was a legatee in his will to a liberal amount.  A constant visitor in the family, its spiritual adviser and comforter, he had possessed the unlimited confidence of the late planter and his daughter.  To him the whole clause relating to