Old Timothy, seeing matters in the same light as his
grandson, required no urging against allowing anything to stand in
the way of legitimate inheritance; he executed another will,
limiting the entail to Timothy his grandson, for life, and his male
heirs thereafter to be born; after them to his other grandson
Edward, and Edward's heirs. Thus the newly-born infant, who had
been the centre of so many hopes, was cut off and scorned as none of
the elect.
The old mortgagee lived but a short time after this, the excitement
of the discovery having told upon him considerably, and he was
gathered to his fathers like the most charitable man in his
neighbourhood. Both wife and grandparent being buried, Timothy
settled down to his usual life as well as he was able, mentally
satisfied that he had by prompt action defeated the consequences of
such dire domestic treachery as had been shown towards him, and
resolving to marry a second time as soon as he could satisfy himself
in the choice of a wife.
But men do not always know themselves. The embittered state of
Timothy Petrick's mind bred in him by degrees such a hatred and
mistrust of womankind that, though several specimens of high
attractiveness came under his eyes, he could not bring himself to
the point of proposing marriage. He dreaded to take up the position
of husband a second time, discerning a trap in every petticoat, and
a Slough of Despond in possible heirs.
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