, 1873-02-23
SPRINGiNG A MINE.

!
| Merdock's clients held, 20 discern through hi
Office windows-heayily barred to defeat the de
signs Of tho burglarious-a small patch of en-
closed land, rich in rank grass, md shaded
houses hcmmed it in on Eli sides-by an old
stuntcd, mnrky olm-tree. The land had origi
nai1y pertaincd to church that lad long since
vanished: Sometimes, after i 5hostly-looking
solitary sheep, coming none knew from whence
or by whose authority, had boen turned into
tho enclosure, and had cropped and
munched away the long grass, faint outlines
of recunheut tou1bstoues could be traced whit
ening here and there the vegetation. Within
living memory no interment had taken place
] there; and the inhabitants Of the adjoining
buildings took little hcea OF it now, except now
and thon to turn it to account as q duGt-bin, q
receptacle fo- broken glass and crockery. Gin
dors, litter, refuse, and rubbish Of eli kinds.
Mr.. Merdoc!z's Offices were on the ground
| floor Of rambling old house in one Of tho tor
tuocs, confined thoroughfarcs OF Walbrook,
! His private room Vas at the back Of tho build
| ing. and thus obtained it's feeble sort of rural
| enjoying an excellent practice; 3 tall, lean,
elderly man, With good features, worn very
sharp by tin1o and ha-d work ct his calling.
His tall, bald forehead had the look Of old parch-
ment; or Of discolorod ivory his sallo" face
,7cs deeply lined and very gaunt. Yet his ASPECT
betrayed no trace OF i'll health OF OF premature
| decay. lie was alert OF movement; tho fringe
Of Lair at the back Of his bald head was still l.
| denaa black; there wero no threads of silver in
| tho aharply-trimm ID. croscent-shaped whiskers
| he wore on his high cheek-b bones although his
| lips were colorless, his teeth we're sound and
white, and his gray eyes twinkled piercirg1y be-
meath hia heavy penthouse broUs. He was,
plainly. o .Tiry, spare man, who could still en-
duro much wear and tear an1 mako good tight
with time.
Mr. Merdock sat ut his desk-idly for tho mo-
1nent--glanci1sg now 8. the green enclosure to
be seen from his window, now at tin box, ono
~ 1n1<r ~
against the wall opposite to him, now at tho
Times newspaper spread out before him. With
q neditative air ho Was rubbing tue palm Of his
large, yellow. bony hand against his very blue
resistance to the razor, let him ply it as persist
enly us he might. Iie paused to tako noisily
huge pinch Of snuff, and then passed largo
scarlet and puco silk pocket-hnndkerchief across
Lin face.
44Poor Delpratt !" he said, With a glance at
the tin boz. Tho legend :. Tie Delpratt Trust y
vas inscribed -, upon 1t IN dim gold
st the waving grass and the mnrly elm Of tho
laid his hand upon tho newspaper. It contained
among its advertisements Of deaths the follow
ing brief notification:
''On the Goth of November, at the Manor
@ House, hl;upton, Hants, Eustace 7ero De'ptatt,
a1r. Merdock shook his head nournfullyr
sighed, and then shrugged bis shoulders, making
M effort, as it seemed, to dismiss distressing
subject from his mind Just then one Of his
ed aa ho read tho name it bore After amonent's
hesitation ho said, You mag show him in,
Booth"
A Young man entered, dressed in deep mourn
:: 3Ir Erncet Delpratt:" Mr. Merdock was
reading aloud the name on tho card
.'You havo forgotten nc, see, Mr.. Merdcck.
But it is not surprising. We havo not mot for
some years. l know tna: am much changed
in appearance. was mere boy then.'
''pray be seated" 4
Ho was now porhaps abont 30 wearing
E. thick, rcl-brown beard, and rather long
ha falng aeEhgenty across asht bis forehead
il. effect by the black clothes he worc. But his
complexion was OF that deadly whitoness which
knows liitlo variation aad resists all influence
OF temperature, refusing to be bronzed by the
sun, or redeemed BY exposure to the wind. 1t
was late in the yerr, but the weather was un-
sultry Still it had not brought any
increase Of color to his face; only the glisten |
of clamminess on tue surface Of his skin. /
''you are aware OF course, OF the sad occnr-
renee tcat has brought me here"
u have ouly Just read in the Times Of l1r~ |
Dclprstt's death Alr. aesdock's manner was
reserved, e1eu distant.
"You Lncu him intimatelys" /!
II can scarcely say SO much as that. I saw |
him frequently ct one time. But Of Inte year. |
nc seldom met. I rarely quit London; he |
rarely visited it. Still I regarded him as q. |
fr1ond. I heard from him occasionally. He !
was Kind enough always to address, me- in the |
most cordial terms. hive learnt OF his death /
with e1trcme regret" (
'But you were his professional adviser; you |
know more OF his private crairs than any ones"
THAT may be go," said a1r. Merdock coldly. |
sHs executed z will in your presence, some
ten years Ago?" 1
lii. 3fe!Goct 1nado no reply.
''f should explain" the young nan went on,
' that as his solo surviving relative
"Pardon me-" A1erdcek Interrupted, illegally
speaking| the late Ms. Delprat. had no rela-
.iyoa."
':Pcrhaps so,-but he always regarded and
smoke OF the As his cousin or rather M his frat |
cousin once removed. therefore deemed ituy !
luty to search for his will to ascertain il he Iai
expressed in it any instructions in relation tohis
funeral. hope that you see nothing objection
able in thai -
Mr.. Me rdock merely bored. He avoided any
OF opinion on the subject.
'.The fill found contained no instructions |
II the kind referred to- Further Of its terms |
need not speak just now; especially !
,s, the document having been drawn by you, !
Tou arc sareaay acquainted with its contents" J.
:: The pnly will Of which I know anything"
'aid Mr.. hrerdock, after Minutes delibe7ation
vas e1 ecutel BY the tegtstor in my presence
o!ne ten years ago. Tho will wss engrossed in