CHAPTER XV. “Is this law? Aye, marry is it?” “In the matter of the estate of Lorin French deceased, the application of Louis Browning for letters executory is before the court. Who represents the applicant?” “The firm of Bruff & Baldwin, your honor,” replied a tall gentleman with spectacled nose and a beardless face. “Are there contestants?” said the Court. Then from their seats within the bar of the court room there arose a decorous multitude of lawyers, short and tall, old and young, fat and lean, the white-bearded Nestors, and the complacent, chirping chipmunks of the bar, and in various forms of expression it clearly appeared that there were contestants. “I think,” said his Honor with a weary smile, “that my associates might have sent this case to another department, for I have had a surfeit of contested will cases. Proceed, Mr. Bruff.” “In behalf of the Society of Bug Hunters, who are legatees under a former will,” said a sepulchral voice, proceeding from the rotund diaphragm of a bald-headed and full-bearded gentleman, “I have twenty-three objections to offer to the admission to probate of the alleged will of Lorin French, and—” “Will my learned brother Lester permit me to interrupt him for a moment,” twanged a catarrhal tone, “while I state that I wish my appearance entered here on behalf of the recognized natural son of the deceased, and I protest—” “On the part of the Australian cousins of Lorin French,” shrieked a lean man with red hair, “I have a preliminary objection to offer to the will being read in court at all, and—” “I object!” “I except!” “Will your honor please note the exception of the Nevada heirs?” “I demand to be heard!” Then from the entire front of the bar came cries of excited counsel, learned in all law save that of decorum, while the Court rapped for order. “Gentlemen,” said he, “you will all please be seated. The Court itself would like to be heard. The will of our deceased fellow-citizen, Lorin French, who was never more regretted by me than at this moment, or”—and the Court smiled deprecatingly—“the paper which purports to be his will, is presented here by our Brother Bruff. Now, unless some gentleman denies the death of Lorin French, it occurs to me that the reading of the paper offered as his will can but tend to our common enlightenment—” The deep-voiced Lester, with his twenty-three objections, sustained by a “brief” which covered ninety pages of manuscript, arose.