*'Hold the light steady; don't you see you are
dropping the tallow," said the baronet in a louder
key ; then laying his long bony hand on the paper,
he continued,

•' I acknowledge this to be my last will and testa-
ment. Give me a pen and I will perfect it."

Dead silence reigned throughout the apartment,
— ^not a sound was to be heard, except the uncertain
scratching of the pen on the paper as the miser
tremblingly traced his name, ^^ Ernest Claude
Ivraine, Bart. ;" but when he concluded he him-
self broke the stillness by remarking, " I never
dot an *i' nor cross a *t;' it wastes ink for no
purpose If any one dispute the validity of this
will, you can swear to my signature by that ;" and,
sinking back on his pillow as he finished this brief
speech, he stared with glassy eyes away into the



174 THE MOORS AND THE FENS.
darkness of the dreaxy cliamber without a solemn
thought of the darker eternity lying beyond.
''Sign here/' said the attorney, turning away
with a sort of shudder and addressing the men ; and,
at the bottom of the paragraph, ^' Signed, sealed,
published, and declared by the said Ernest Claude
Ivraine, Baronet, as and for his last will and
testament, in presence of us who have hereunto
subscribed our names as witnesses, at his request
and in presence of each other," speedily appeared
strange hieroglyphics, purporting to be the names
of Boger Humphries, Hugh Symes, and John
Leford.
"You can go," said Mr. Medill, as he looked
at the blotted characters, for the instrument by
them was perfected, — made a thing of law : to bind,
to hold, to make, to mar, to disappoint, to rejoice.
