Lionel, taking his late uncle's keys from his pocket, unlocked it, and delivered a parchment which it contained to Mr.Matiss.The lawyer saw at a glance that it was the old will, not the codicil, and he waited for Lionel to hand him also the latter.
"Be so kind as read it, Mr.Matiss," said Lionel, pointing to the will.
It had to be read; and it was of no consequence whether the codicil was taken from the desk before reading the original will, or afterwards, so Mr.Matiss unfolded it, and began.
It was a somewhat elaborate will--which has been previously hinted.
Verner's Pride, with its rich lands, its fine income, was left to John Massingbird; in the event of John's death, childless, it went to Frederick; in the event of Frederick's death, childless, it passed to Lionel Verner.

There the conditions ended; so that, if it did lapse to Lionel, it lapsed to him absolutely.

But it would appear that the contingency of both the Massingbirds dying had been only barely glanced at by Mr.Verner.Five hundred pounds were left to Lionel: five hundred to Jan; five hundred to Decima; nothing to Lady Verner.

Mrs.Verner was suitably provided for, and there were bequests to servants.

Twenty-five pounds for "a mourning ring" were bequeathed to each of the two executors, Sir Rufus Hautley, and Mr.Bitterworth; and old Matthew Frost had forty pounds a year for his life.