enriched in his lifetime for no heavier work than listening to him and
repeating, "That's so, Patron, that's true!" More than a million dollars
were represented by these bequests in lands and herds. The one who
completed the list of beneficiaries was Julio Desnoyers. The grandfather
had made special mention of this namesake, leaving him a plantation "to
meet his private expenses, making up for that which his father would not
give him."

"But that represents hundreds of thousands of dollars!" protested Karl,
who had been making himself almost obnoxious in his efforts to assure
himself that his wife had not been overlooked in the will.

The days following the reading of this will were very trying ones for
the family. Elena and her children kept looking at the other group as
though they had just waked up, contemplating them in an entirely new
light. They seemed to forget what they were going to receive in their
envy of the much larger share of their relatives.

Desnoyers, benevolent and conciliatory, had a plan. An expert in
administrative affairs, he realized that the distribution among the
heirs was going to double the expenses without increasing the income. He
was calculating, besides, the complications and disbursements necessary
for a judicial division of nine immense ranches, hundreds of thousands
of cattle, deposits in the banks, houses in the city, and debts to
collect. Would it not be better for them all to continue living as
before? . . . Had they not lived most peaceably as a united family? . . .

The German received this suggestion by drawing himself up haughtily.
No; to each one should be given what was his. Let each live in his own
sphere. He wished to establish himself in Europe, spending his wealth