Roger had not the most remote idea what the woman meant, and the lawyer only a vague one; but Hester knew, and she sprang up like a tiger from the chair where she had hitherto sat a quiet spectator of what was transpiring. “You woman,” she cried, facing Mrs. Walter Scott, with a fiery gleam in her gray eyes, “if I could have my way, I’d turn you out of doors, bag and baggage. If there was a doubt, who hatched it up but you, you sly, insinuatin’ critter. I overheard you myself working upon the weak old man, and hintin’ things you orto blush to speak of. There was no mention made of a will then, but I know now that was what you was up to, and if he was persuaded to the ’bominable piece of work which this gentleman, who knows law more than I do, don’t believe, and then destroyed it,—as he was likely to do when he came to himself,—and you, with your snaky ways, was in New York, it has served you right, and makes me think more and more that the universal religion is true. Not that I’ve anything special agin’ Frank, whose wust blood he got from you, but that Roger should be slighted by his own father is too great a dose to swaller, and I for one shan’t stay any longer in the same room with you; so hand me the key to the door which you locked when you thought Roger had the will in his pocket. Maybe you’d like to search the hull coboodle of us. You are welcome to, I’m sure.” Mrs. Walter Scott was a good deal taken aback with this tirade. She had heard some truths from which she shrank, and, glad to be rid of Hester on any terms, she mechanically held out the key to the door. But here the lawyer interposed, and said: “Excuse me, one moment, please. Mrs. Floyd, do you remember signing this will which I have read in your hearing?” “Perfectly;” and Hester snapped her words off with an emphasis. “The master was sick and afraid he might die, and he sent for your father, who was alone with him a spell, and then he called me and my old man in, and said we was to be witnesses to his will, and we was, Aleck and me.” “It was strange father did not remember you, who had lived with him so long,” Roger suggested, his generosity and sense of justice overmastering all other emotions. “If he had they could not have been witnesses,” the lawyer said, while Hester rejoined: “It ain’t strange at all; for only six weeks before, he had given us two thousand dollars to buy the tavern stand down by the toll-gate, where we’ve set my niece Martha up in business, who keeps as good a house as there is in Belvidere; so you see that’s explained, and he gave us good wages always, and kept raisin’, too, till now we have jintly more than some ministers, with our vittles into the bargain.”