Page:The New Arcadia (Tucker).djvu/203

Rh "'The spot where we made our first modest venture,' he said, 'will be of interest, and perhaps of some little value to you. The scrub has got up again, I understand, but the land ought to be worth two or three pounds an acre.'

"He went on," continued the Sergeant, "to read this other will, settling Mimosa Vale and his other properties. He's certainly dealing handsome with the men," continued Elms, perusing the document. "The five thousand acres will virtually be theirs with all the improvements. Twenty thousand pounds if a penny! And that's a low figure considering all the plant that's on the place.—Now let's see if this first bit of paper bears the construction you think it does," continued Elms.

Both read and re-read the few lines contained in the smaller document, whereby the property known as "Courtenay's Village" would devolve, in event of the doctor's death, to John Elms, as trustee in the interest of those concerned. The codicil made the disposition absolute.

This instrument had been drawn in town, before the larger venture was projected. Later the men were withdrawn to Mimosa Vale. Nothing had been generally known of the original tentative movement.

"By Jove! you are right, lad," exclaimed Elms, after a long pause, when both were turning over in their minds a host of possible contingencies.

"If this other Will was out of the way, and if anything happened to the doctor, the Mimosa Vale Estate, the only place men know as 'Courtenay's Village,' would be mine."

"And mine," suggested Malduke, with a leer.

"Yes, and yours. You, of course, put me up to it. You'd have your share."