little Pomp and ceremony as maybe. ITEM I
give to such of my Executors hereinafter named
as shall act under this my Will Five Hundred
pounds Sterling each to be paid to or retained by
them within six Calendar Months after my
decease. I GIVE to my three sons Jacob,
Frederick and William Five Thousand pounds
Sterling each. I GIVE—- '"

"Stay! five thou—- please to read that
again, Mr. Beavington," interrupted Captain
Trefalden.

" 'Five Thousand pounds Sterling each,' "
repeated the lawyer. "The amount is quite plain.
But have patience, gentlemen. We are but at
the preliminaries. This five thousand each hath,
doubtless, some special purpose. The main
business is to come."

"Very possibly—very possibly, Mr.
Beavington," replied the Captain. "I am all
attention."

"'ITEM I GIVE to my Cashier Edward Prescott
Five Hundred pounds Sterling. I GIVE
to my other clerks One Hundred pounds Sterling
each. AND I GIVE to my Household Servants
Two Hundred pounds Sterling to be divided
among them in equal shares. All which last
mentioned legacies I direct shall be paid within
three Calendar Months next after my decease.
I GIVE to the Minister for the time being of
Redruth aforesaid and to the Minister for the
time being of the Parish in which I shall happen
to reside immediately previous to my decease
One Hundred pounds Sterling each to be paid
to them within One Calendar Month after that
event shall happen and be by them forthwith
distributed in such manner and proportion as
they shall think proper among the poor Widows
belonging to their Parishes respectively. ITEM,
I do hereby direct and appoint that my Executors
shall as soon as possible after my decease set
apart out of my Property which consists entirely
of Personal Estate, and is chiefly invested in the
Government Stocks and Funds of this Kingdom,
so much of my Funded property as shall be
equal in value to the sum of Five Hundred
Thousand pounds Sterling—- ' "

"Ha! now for it!" exclaimed Mr. Fred,
breathlessly.

"'—the sum of Five Hundred Thousand
pounds Sterling,'" continued the lawyer, "'which
I give to the Lord Mayor and Aldermen of the
City of London for the time being and their
successors for ever IN TRUST for the purposes
hereinafter expressed and I desire that as to
this Gift they shall be called "TREFALDEN'S
TRUSTEES" and that the amount of my Funded
Property so to be set apart shall immediately
afterwards be transferred to them accordingly.'"

The lawyer paused to clear his glasses.
The brothers looked blankly in each other's
faces.

"Good God! Mr. Beavington," gasped Captain
Trefalden, "what does this mean?"

"On my word, sir, I have no more notion
than yourself," replied the lawyer. "The will is
none of my making."

"Who drew it up?" asked Mr. Will,
peremptorily.

"Not I, sir. Your father hath gone to some
stranger for this business. But perchance when
we know more—-"

"Enough, sir, go on," said Mr. Fred and Mr.
Will together.

The lawyer continued:

" AND I hereby declare my Will to be that
my said Trustees shall receive the annual Income
of the said Trust Fund, and lay out and invest
such Income in their names in the Purchase of
Government Securities, and repeat such receipts
and Investments from time to time in the nature
of Compound Interest during the space of One
Hundred years from the date of my decease, and
that such accumulations shall continue and be
increased until the same, with the original Trust
Fund, shall amount to, and become in the
aggregate, one entire clear principal sum of NINE
MILLION POUNDS Sterling and upwards,
AND I DESIRE that the same entire clear
Principal Sum shall thenceforth be, or be
considered as, divided into two equal parts, AND I
GIVE One equal half part thereof unto the direct
Heir Male of the Eldest Son of my Eldest Son,
in total exclusion of the younger Branches of my
Family and their descendants. AND as to the
other equal half part of the said entire Principal
Sum, I DIRECT my said Trustees to apply and
dispose of the same in manner following (that is
to say) IN the first place, in purchasing within
the liberties of the City of London a plot of
Freehold Ground of sufficient magnitude, and
erecting thereon, under the superintendence of
some eminent Architect, a Handsome and
Substantial Building, with all suitable Offices, to be
called "THE LONDON TREFALDEN
BENEVOLENT INSTITUTION."

" 'AND in the next place, in affording
pecuniary aid as well permanent as temporary to
decayed Tradesmen, Mercantile Men, Ship Brokers,
Stock Brokers, Poor Clergymen, and Members
of the Legal and Medical Professions, and
the Widows and Orphans of each of those Classes
respectively, and, if thought fit, to advance Loans
without Interest to honest but unfortunate
Bankrupts. With full power to receive into the
Institution a limited number of poor and deserving
Persons being Widows and Orphans of
Citizens of London, and to maintain, clothe, and
educate them so long as the Trustees shall think
proper.

"'AND in order that such Institution may be
properly established and may be managed and
supported in a satisfactory manner, I request my
said Trustees to prepare a scheme for the
permanent Establishment and support thereof, and
to submit the same to the Master of the Rolls
for his approval. PROVIDED ALWAYS that
in case there shall be no such Male Heir in the
direct line from the Eldest Son of my Eldest Son,
then I direct my said Trustees to apply the first-