It was very sad and very sudden.

But you know we've all been expecting--been fearing--that for some time." They both were silent for a moment, the lawyer looking absently at the foot-board of the bed, nodding his head slowly from time to time, repeating, "Yes, sir--yes, sir." Suddenly he exclaimed, "Well--now, let's see." He cleared his throat, coming back to himself again, and continued in a very businesslike and systematic tone: "I have looked over your father's papers, Mr.Vandover, as you requested me to, and I have taken the liberty of sending for you to let you know exactly how you stand." "That's the idea, sir," said Vandover, very attentive, drawing up his chair.
Mr.Field took a great package of oblong papers from the small table that stood at the head of his bed, and looked them over, adjusting his eyeglasses.

"Well, now, suppose we take up the real property first," he continued, drawing out three or four of these papers and unfolding them.
"All of your father's money was invested in what we call 'improved realty.'" He talked for something over an hour, occasionally stopping to answer a question of Vandover's, or interrupting himself to ask him if he understood.

At the end it amounted to this: The bulk of the estate was residence property in distant quarters of the city.

Some twenty-six houses, very cheaply built, each, on an average, renting for twenty-eight dollars.