"Of course not; to say nothing of the danger there would be in giving him
so strong an interest in his wife's death. Not but what I daresay he'll
contrive to squander the greater part of the money during her lifetime.
Is it all in hard cash?"

"No; there is some house-property at Islington, which pays a high
interest; and there are other freeholds."

"Then we might tie those up, giving Mrs. Holbrook only the income. It is
essential to provide against possible villany or extravagance on the part
of the husband. Women are so weak and helpless in these matters. And in
the event of your granddaughter dying without children, wouldn't you
rather let the estate go to your son?"

"To him!" exclaimed Jacob Nowell. "I have sworn that I would not leave
him sixpence."

"That's a kind of oath which no man ever considers himself bound to
keep," said the lawyer in his most insinuating tone. "Remember, it's only
a remote contingency. The chances are that your granddaughter will have a
family to inherit this property, and that she will survive her father.
And then, if we give her power to make a will, of course it's pretty
certain that she'll leave everything to this husband of hers. But I don't
think we ought to do that, Mr. Nowell. I think it would be a far wiser
arrangement to give this young lady only a life interest in the real
estate. That makes the husband a loser by her death, instead of a
possible gainer to a large amount. And I consider that your son's name
has a right to come in here."

"I cannot acknowledge that he has any such right. His extravagance almost