The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1845-10-17

"And now" said McDougal,
who felt a cloud drawing over hi.
intellect and his memory refus e tc
do her Office, chow much does
that make ?" And he put his hand
to his head as if to cool his feverad
brain.
The lawyer was subtle and knew
that this was the only time for him.
He came with purpose of making
a gOod Thing ofa
"Well, Mr.. McDougal, after the
Iexpences of your funeral there will
be something left, perhaps a hun
dred dollars or a hundred and
fifty"
"Then," said McDougal, making
vigorous effort and feeling con-
cious that nature was failing fast
"Morton, you are welcome to the
remainder ; now read it and let me
sign it."
Morton read just as McDougal
had dictated, but the artful Judas
had in the case of the brothers, sub
stituted in writing "huldredS" for
"MOusandS."
McDougal, with considerable eff
fort, signed-just saw his niece and
nurse attest it-and expired. Re-
lations and friends soon assembled at
the tidings of his death the will was
read and it was no difficult matter
to divide the property.
But sorely did Morton suffer for
his temerity and wickedness. Not
unaccuStomed to acts Of fraud,
his concience long slept upon this
new iniquity. The slumbering mon
itor was at length however awaked
from its lethargy, and Morton JeHits
voice. Yet he long resisted its ear
nest remonstrances, until other min
listers Of warning were invoked TO
its assistance. He could not rest
for strange and dismal noises heard
in his house every night. Soon they
seemed to proceed from the very
closet where he kept his gold, as il
it was poured out of one vessel into
another-then portentiously scatter
ed up and down in the room. More
than once, when retiring to rest, he
thought he heard some one following
him up stairs. At length the very
form of McDougal appeared at his
bedside, and turning aside the cur
tains, looked upon him with the very
same CHASTITY palencss and piercing
eye, asked "hoW much does thai
mnhe! :"
Morton arose, dressed himself and
lifting a small lamp, retired to his IL
brary and awaited the dawn of day,
trembling and half resolved to re-
store the property, yet half yielding
to his covctousness and false shame
which again got the better of his
fears.
He was however yet to suffer far
Their tortures. Hastily dispatchine
his matin meal, he departed for his
Office, to bury amid dis musty papers
the uneasyness he cold not other
wise ovcrcome.-Abruptly turning
the corner Of neighboring street,
lie suddenly came upon two uncouth
looking men, one of whom, the mo
ment before Morton came in sight,
had placed in the hands ofthe other,
two or three small sums of money
startled by the lawyers sudden APP
pearance, he turned his face to-
wards him, as he Said-"UDao much
d0eS that mdhe .'' And Morton
ayerted his eyes, turned pale and
hurried EDWARDS.
The duties of his Office, however,
did not allay the feverish excite
mert under which he labored; and
taking up a bundle of papers, he
went down to the law courts to
make some inquiries relative to his
profession. Just as he entered, a
witness was detailing some petty
theits to which he had been subject
ed by dishonest clerk. He had
mentioned several sepcrate sums
"Well, sir, and h0w much does
that make ?" asked the prisoners
counsel, having his eye directed to-
wards the door by which Morton
had entered, for in his agitation he
had closed it with peculiar bang.
"H0,c mnch does that make 2" re-
Ipeated the witness, whose attention
was drawn TO Morton, and with his
eyes still fixed upon the now trem-
bling lawyer, he added with lcer,
II don't know eXactly-but | hnOV
item that do"
There was a malicious litter in
the court, and the spectators, fol-
lowing the direction of the witness,
eye, also fixed their gaze on Nor.
ton.
He could bear it no longer. Seiz.
ing the handle of the door, he would
at once have made his escape, bu
the force with which he had shut i
couSpd the door 10 SIirk. His eyer