The Impostor by Edgar Saltus

As the old man, after shoving the package into the safe, piled the money in on top of it, he was conscious of being watched. At the moment, you could have heard a lizard move. With a lizard's rapidity, he turned. There was no one. Save for himself -- for the safe, the chairs, the books, the immense table -- the large, high-ceiled room was vacant.

For a moment he hesitated. Then, at once going to the table, he touched a button, sat down, and began to write.

898 West Eighty-ninth Street, New York, 4th November, 1915

I, George Gorgias Vulper, declare this to be my last will and testament.

I direct --

At the door came a knock, and a withered servant, his face inextricably wrinkled, appeared. Vulper looked up.

"Archibald, telephone to Doctor Dix. Ask him to come here at once."

"Yes, sir."

Before the servant could go, Vulper again was at it.

I give, devise, and bequeath to my son, Michael Vulper, the copyright of my work entitled "Commentaries on the Sutras of Patanjali. " I give, devise, and bequeath to my nephew, Arthur Glendenning, the sum of one dollar, free from inheritance tax and executors' fees. I give, devise, and bequeath to the director and curators of the British Museum, London, my manuscript entitled "Alpha and Omega. " I give, devise, and bequeath to Shri Shankira my best wishes here and hereafter. The rest and residue of my property, of whatever kind, nature, and description, and wheresoever situated, of which I die seized and possessed, I give, devise, and bequeath to my ward, Camille Marcy, and to her heirs, executors, and assigns forever. I appoint the Amsterdam Trust Company --

The hurrying pen tripped and made a blot. Before Vulper could dry it, there was another knock, and a man with eyeglasses and a professional beard came in.

Vulper nodded at him.

"Dix, I want you to witness my will -- you and Archibald. Will you look at it?"

The physician took the paper, glanced at it, and asked:

"Where is the manuscript?"

Vulper motioned at the safe.

"In that package under the junk."

Dix moved over and looked in.

"There seems to be no end to that junk. You ought to -- "

"Only ten thousand," Vulper interrupted. "If it looks big, it's because it's all in twenty-dollar bills. I intended it for Mike, but I've changed my mind."