Litchfield enquirer., 1872-02-08

l tunity," said Mr. Ferret, ssof quietly questioning Richards: he must have known the first wife; Eleanor Wickham. Iremem- Der, was her maiden name; and if not bought oyer.by Harlowe-a by-no-means impossible purchase-ean set us right at once. did not understand that the said Eleanor was at all celebrated for beauty and adjustments, such as you say Miss Willoughby by-Mrs. Harlowe, I mean I-describes. She was native of Dorset shire too, remember; and the foreign l Italian accent you mention, is rarely, I fancy, picked up in that charming county. Some fiashy opera-dancer, depend upon 1 it, whom he has contracted passing fan cy for: slippery gentleman certainly; but, with @ little caution, we shall not fail to trip his heels up, clever as he may be-" 2 #,.1-'-,. = - r+.
 l A stronger wrestler than either of us was upon the track of the unhappy man. | Edith had not been with us above three weeks, when one of Mir. Harlowe's servants called at my chambers to say that his mas ter, in consequence of Q wound he had in fiicted on his foot with an axe, whilst amusing himself with cutting or pruning some trees in the grounds at Fairdown, was seriously i'll, and had expressed q wish to see me. I could not leave town but as it was important Mir. Harlowe should be seen, requested Mir. Ferret to proceed to Fairdown House. He did so, and late in the evening returned with the startling intelligence that MT. Harlowe was dead! s.......-.
 'Dead!" I exclaimed, much shocked 'tAre you serious ?"
 ''As judge. He expired, about an hour after I reached the house, of tetanus, commonly called lock-jaw. His body, by the contraction of the muscles, was bent like bow, and rested on his heels and the back part of his head. He was in- capable of speech long before saw him but there was 8 world of agOnized expres- sion in his eyesr'
 Dreadful! Your journey was useless then?"
 ''Not precisely. saw the pretended former wife: a splendid woman, and as much Eleanor Wickham of Dorsetshire as 1 am. They mean however, to show fight, think for as I left the place, I observed that delightful knave Richards enter the house. I took the liberty oi placing seals upon the desks and cabinets, and directed the butler and other sery- ants to see that nothing was disturbed or removed till Mrs. Harlowe's-the true Mrs. HarlOwe's- arrival"
 The funeral was to take place on the following Wednesday; and it was finally arranged that both of us should accompa- ny Edith to Fairdown on the day after it had taken place, and adopt such measures as circumstances might render necessary Mr. Ferret wrote to this effect to all par ties concerned.
 On arriving at the house, l, Ferret, and Mrs. Harlowe, proceeded at once to the drawing room, where we found the pre- tended wife seated in great state, SUD- ported on one side by MT. Richards, and on the other by Mir. Outlet, the eminent proctor. Edith was dreadfully agitated, and clung frightened and trembling to my arm. conducted her to seat, and placed myself beside her, leaving Mir. Ferret-whom 80 tremendous an array of law and learning evincing determination to fight the matter out routrance, filled with exuberant glee-to open the confer ence. s-s
 'sGood-morning, madam" cried he, the moment he entered the room, and quite unaffected by the lady's scornfal and naughty stare ..good-morning; I am de lighted to see you in such excellent com pany. You do not, hope, forget that l once had the honor of transacting busi- ness for you?"
 ''You had transactions of my business! said the lady. ''When, I pray you P
 ''God bless me ?' cried Ferret address ing Richards, ''what charming Italian accent and out of Dorsetshire too p
 ''DOrsetshire, sir?'' exclaimed the lady.
 ''Ay, Dorsetshirs, to be sure. Why, Mr, Richards, aur respected client appears to have forgotten her place of birth How very extraordinary
 MT. Richards now interfered, to say that Mir. Ferret was apparently labOring under a strange misapprehensiOn. ''This lady, '' continued he, sis Madame Giulletta Cor elli. 7"
 thrown for an instant off his balance by the suddenness of the confession, and perhaps little disanRointed at so placa- ta Corelli What Is the meaning of this array then g s- ..Ias
 ''I am glad, madam" said I, interpos- ing for the first time in the conversation, ''for your own sake, that you have been advised not to persist in the aense- less as well as iRiauiaaaa scheme devised by the late Mir. Harlowe but this being the case, I am greatly at loss to know why either you or your legal gentlemen are here ?" -.r ..-. f.. ...l. !.
 The brilliant eyes of the Italian flashed triumphant scorn, and smile of con- temptuous irony curled her beautiful lip as she repliel-'sEAese legal gentlemen will not have much difficulty in explain ing my right to remain in my own house. 2
 "HOur house ?"
 Precisely, sir," replied MT. Outlet. soThis mansion, together with all other property, real and personal, of which the deceased Henry Harlowe died possessed, is bequeathed by will-dated about a month since-t9 this iady, Giulletta Cor eli.a - -, l. ,...s -.,s.fs
 GA will p exclaimed Mir. Ferret with an explosive shout; and turning to me, whilst his sharp gray eyes danced with irreprcs- sible mirth-''Did not tell you SOP"
 'fYour usual sagacity, Mir. Ferret, has not in this instance failed you. Perhaps you will permit me to read the will ? But before do so," continued MT. Outlet, as he drew his gold-rimmed spectacles from their moroeea sheath-=':yoa will al low me, if you please to state that the legatee, delicately approaching the posi- ton of the widow, will allow her any reas- onable annuity-say five hundred pounds per annum for life. s.,s
 Wul Sne really GnOugn erred Mir. Ferret, boiling over with ecstacy. Mad am, let me beg of ya4 ts confirm this gra- eieus nremiae l Certainly do." ..f..-.....
 ssCapita1 glorious p rejoined Ferret and thought he was ahous to perform a saltatoey movement. that must have brought his cranium into damaging con tact with the chandelier under which he was standing. Els it not delightful? How every one-especially an attorney loves 8 generous giver P r.Y .414aa .4sas s | Mir. Richards appeared to be rendered somewhat uneasy by these strange dem oastratinns, He knew Ferret well, and al evidently suspected that something was wrong somewhere. Perhaps, Mir. Quil- let, said he, you had better read the will at once. ."s5R t-'@@ ,s1i 's' ---' -'--- 4 This was done the instrument devised ;v, lorra1 aud m; ,ka foxa oII tho