“And by what right, ma’am?  Have I not the privilege of others, to read my own letters when and where I please?  If the contents of this, however, do really relate to the late Deacon Pratt’s property, I am quite willing they should be made known.  There is nothing on this superscription to tell me to open the packet in the presence of witnesses; but, under all the circumstances, I prefer it should be done.”

Hereupon Roswell proceeded deliberately to look into the package.  The seal was already broken, and he exhibited it in that state to all in the room, with a meaning smile, after which he brought to light and opened some written instrument, that was engrossed on a single sheet of foolscap, and had the names of several witnesses at its bottom.

“Ay, ay, that’s it,” said Baiting Joe, for the room was crowded with all sorts of people; “that’s the dockerment.  I know’d it as soon as I laid eyes on it!”

“And what do you know about it, Josy?” demanded the widow, eagerly.  “Cousin Job, this man may turn out a most important and considerable witness!”

“What do I know, Mrs. Martin?  Why I seed the deacon sign for the seals, and exercute.  As soon as I heard Squire Craft, who was down here from Riverhead on that ’ere very business, talk so much about seals, I know’d Captain Gar’ner must have suthin’ to do with the matter.  The deacon’s very heart was in the schooner and her v’y’ge, and I think it was the craft that finished him, in the end.”

“Won’t that set aside a codicil, cousin Job, if so be the deacon has r’ally codicilled off Captain Gar’ner and Mary?”

“We shall see, we shall see.  So you was present, Josy, at the making of a will?”

“Sartain—­and was a witness to the insterment, as the squire called it.  I s’pose he sent for me to be a witness, as I am some acquainted with the sealin’ business, having made two v’y’ges out of Stunnin’tun, many years since.  Ay, ay; that’s the insterment, and pretty well frightened was the deacon when he put his name to it, I can tell you!”

“Frightened!” echoed the brother—­“that’s ag’in law, at any rate.  The instrument that a man signs because he’s frightened, is no instrument at all, in law.  As respects a will, it is what we justices of the peace call ‘dies non,’ or, don’t die; that is, in law.”

“Can that be so, squire Job?” asked the sister, who had said but little hitherto, but had thought all the more.

“Yes, that’s Latin, I s’pose, and good Latin, too, they tell me.  A man may be dead in the flesh, but living in law.”

“La! how cur’ous!  Law is a wonderful thing, to them that understands it.”