becoming," said Martha Loomis to her two daughters; and they agreed,
and brought over many of their possessions under cover of night to
the Squire's house during the interval before the funeral.

But after the funeral and the reading of the will the Loomises made
sundry trips after dusk back to their old home, with their best
petticoats and cloaks over their arms, and their bonnets dangling by
their strings at their sides. For Evelina Adams's last will and
testament had been read, and therein provision was made for the
continuance of the annuity heretofore paid them for their support,
with the condition affixed that not one night should they spend after
the reading of the will in the house known as the Squire Adams house.
The annuity was an ample one, and would provide the widow Martha
Loomis and her daughters, as it had done before, with all the
needfuls of life; but upon hearing the will they stiffened their
double chins into their kerchiefs with indignation, for they had
looked for more.

Evelina Adams's will was a will of conditions, for unto it she had
affixed two more, and those affected her beloved cousin Evelina
Leonard. It was notable that "beloved" had not preceded her cousin
Martha Loomis's name in the will. No pretence of love, when she felt
none, had she ever made in her life. The entire property of Evelina
Adams, spinster, deceased, with the exception of Widow Martha
Loomis's provision, fell to this beloved young Evelina Leonard,
subject to two conditions--firstly, she was never to enter into
matrimony, with any person whomsoever, at any time whatsoever;
secondly, she was never to let the said spinster Evelina Adams's
garden, situated at the rear and southward of the house known as the
Squire Adams house, die through any neglect of hers. Due allowance