Mr. Drew picked up several sheets of typewriting from the table, and after a moment’s hesitation began to read in a clear voice:
“ ‘I, Josiah Crowley, do make this my last will and testament, hereby revoking all former wills by me at any time made. I give and bequeath all my property, real and personal, as follows:
“ ‘To my beloved friends and neighbors, Allie and Grace Horner, the sum of seventy-five thousand dollars each.’ ”
“Oh, I can’t believe it!” Allie gasped.
“Neither can I!” Mrs. Topham snapped. “One hundred and fifty thousand dollars when they aren’t even relatives. Why, that’s nearly half of the estate. The will is a fraud!”
“There is no mistake,” Mr. Drew told her quietly. Again he picked up the will and began to read:
“ ‘To Abigail Rowen, in consideration of her kindness to me, the sum of seventy-five thousand dollars.’ ”
“Oh, I’m so glad,” Grace murmured.
“Now, she’ll be able to get the medical attention she needs,” Allie added.
“I wish she could have been here,” Nancy said quietly. “But I’ll see to it that she is notified before the day is over.”
“That old lady gets seventy-five thousand dollars?” Ada Topham demanded harshly. “What did she ever do for Crowley?” Angrily, she turned to her mother. “We kept him for years. And this is the pay we get!”
“ ‘To my nephews, Fred and William Mathews, the sum of twenty thousand dollars each,’ ” Mr. Drew read.