Ma faither talked muckle o' Uncle Hughie
Blake, remimberin' him fra' a wee laddie when his ain faither
took him tae Scotland, and tae Castle Emberon, on a veesit."
Nan and Papa Sherwood laughed at her when she assumed the Scotch
burr of her forebears. With precision she cut the flap of this
smaller envelope. She felt no excitement now. She had regained
control of herself after the keen disappointment arising from the
first letter.
She calmly opened the crackly sheet of legal looking paper in her
lap. It was not a long letter, and it was written in a stiff,
legal hand, instead of being typewritten, each character as
precise as the legal mind that dictated it:
"Mistress Jessie Adair Blake, (Known to be a married woman, but
wedded name unknown to writer.)
"Dear Madam: It is my duty to inform you that your father (the
late Randolph Hugh Blake) was made sole beneficiary of his late
uncle, Mr. Hugh Blake, the Laird of Emberon's steward, by a
certain testament, or will, made many years ago. Mr. Hugh Blake
has recently died a bachelor, and before his demise he added a
codicil to the above testament, or will, naming you, his great
niece, his sole heir and beneficiary.
"There are other relatives who may make some attempt to oppose
your claim; but none of near blood.
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