Before the note could have been dropped into the box, Carmen was in her room, and the note was literally true.  No second will existed.

The will was proved, and on the second day its contents were in all the newspapers.  But with it went a very exciting story.  This was the rumor of another will, and of Henderson’s vast scheme of benevolence.  Mr. Sage had been interviewed and Carmen had been interviewed.  The memorandum (which was only rough and not wholly legible notes) had been found and sent to Carmen.  There was no concealment about it.  She gave the reporters all the details, and to every one she said that it was her intention to carry out her husband’s wishes, so far as they could be ascertained from this memorandum, when his affairs had been settled.  The thirst of the reporters for information amused even Carmen, who had seen much of this industrious tribe.  One of them, to whom she had partially explained the situation, ended by asking her, “Are you going to contest the will?”

“Contest the will?” cried Carmen.  “There is nothing to contest.”

“I didn’t know,” said the young man, whose usual occupation was reporting sports, and who had a dim idea that every big will must be contested.

Necessarily the affair made a great deal of talk.  The newspapers discussed it for days, and turned over the scheme in every light, the most saying that it was a noble gift to the city that had been intended, while only one or two doubted if charity institutions of this sort really helped the poor.  Regret, of course, was expressed that the second will had never been executed, but with this regret was the confidence that the widow would carry out, eventually, Henderson’s plans.

This revelation modified the opinion in regard to Henderson.  He came to be regarded as a public benefactor, and his faithful wife shared the credit of his noble intention.

XXI

Waiting for something to turn up, Jack found a weary business.  He had written to Mavick after the newspaper report that that government officer had been in the city on Henderson’s affairs, and had received a very civil and unsatisfactory reply.  In the note Mavick had asked him to come to Washington and spend a little time, if he had nothing better on hand, as his guest.  Perhaps no offense was intended, but the reply enraged Jack.  There was in the tone of the letter and in the manner of the invitation a note of patronage that was unendurable.

“Confound the fellow’s impudence!” said Jack to himself; and he did not answer the invitation.