Richland beacon. [volume] (Rayville, La.) 1869-1890, 1873-03-08
IL. V.-N 10.


II the early train from London. Mr.. Nt
e dock, however, stood on the platform
the station some time before the arrival
It the train. He was dressed in deep blac
s and looked worn and anxious. Amor
t the passengers brought down from TOW
:, was Mr.. Pixley. Mr.. MerdOck hasten,
5 towards him, and drew him aside.
:. fOu got my letter, Of course? No
I be very careful, Pixley. Don't sa
a. word more than you can hel
e there's carriage waiting to take us
l.upton, pleasant drive over the HAM
shire downs. The drivers been restin
at the AndOyer Arms; he only drew u
to the station when the train was i'm sigh
/ lie suppOses that we both came down b
the train. You're understood to be u,
clerk"
They entered the carriage, and we,
driven from the station.
: Put up that window, Pixley. Tn;
fellow mustn't hear us. This is a delica,
matter. and we must proceed very cat
tiously."
Well? And what's been done?'
I've not been idle, but, I'll own, Nv
but poor case as yet. | can't get niucl
beyond suspicion. | cannot arrive q
proof. Still, I've set two or three o
work, ard something may come out a
any moment"
"The funeral will proceedg''
Z" Not so loud. Yes. You know, or
perhaps you don't know, what countr,
cOrOners are. And we've scarcely pre
text for demanding an inquest. The doc
tor, a local practitioner, sticks to his an
eurismal hypertrOphy. What can We d
in the face of his certificate? The servant
have been got at and questioned skilfully
enough, without awakening their suspic
ions. A hint OF physic bottles destrOve,
Immediately after the death of Mr.. Del
pratt.
But if the funeral''--
1.-The funeral doesn't matter. Ii we'y,
any evidence to go upon, we can Obtair
from the Home Office an order for disin
terment. Never mind about the funeral
Get that over quietly; it may be all the
better Tor u.s."
But the other doctor, who gave hin,
to the office"
i've seen him, and it only comes to
this-he suspects. He was dismissed
from attendance upon the deceased three
weeks ago; so, you know, he couldn't
have seen poor Delpratt during his last
fortnight of life.''
But what does he suspectr'
suspicious, mind, amount to nothing.
unless you can support them with evi-
dence OF facts, and that We can't do at
present. But he suspects that the medi-
clnes were tampered with, and that death
resulted from the administration of-pOi-
sOn-prObahly arsenic, in small but fire
quent doses. That could only have been
done by some one in constant attendance
upon the deceased"
And we know that Ernest Delpratt
had opportunities of that kind.n
Yes; that we know. He sat ND some
nights with the deceased. was with him.
indeed, continually, except on the day of
his death then he was absent. out all
he told me. He lied, I've
that. He did 90 to the meet.
But there was poor days sport, short
run with young fox, and kill in Dar-
ringtOn Plantations, only few miles
from LuptOn. He might have been home
by two O'Clock. But he stayed drinking
in a little public-hQuse on the p-.i....si
road. so, you see, he lied. That doesn't
me; he was always liar, as his
father was before him. 1t looks like ad-
the last fatal dose, and then
keeping out of the way. of the closing
scene, to avoid suspicion"
"He was on good terms with the de-
"Yes. Not so good as he'd make out,
but still on good terms. He'd been for
house. Poor Delpratt, l take it, was try
ing to like him, and, on the whole, the
young man had behaved pretty well Of
late. 1t had been different fornierly. In
truth, Ernest was as bad as Delamere had
been. Dismissed from the army before
he was twenty for disgraceful conduct
at cards-then guilty of what's
called in plain terms, at the Old Bailey,
forgery. But the thing was hnshed up,
and the young man was packed offto Aus.
tralia."
Who was with him at the time of his
death 90
mo one. There we're weak. He had
certainly heart disease of considerable
standing-sufficient, perhaps, to account
for his death. There's only this to add:
He is known to have complained of the
strong taste Of his medicines, and of the
great internal pain and burning thirst
they provoked"
after all, as you said yourself, Mer-
dock, just now, it's but poor case"
repeat it-a poor case"
g don't see that we've any grounds for
payment of the policy"
." Perhaps not, as yet. But never rush
at conclusions, Pixley. We've time be-
fore us, and many things may happen.
And mind, in any case, mean to spring
a mine upon that young man such as he
little dreams of. Eustace Delpratt was
my friend. don't forget that. Hush!
We've arrived. Remember you're my
clerk"
The funeral was of simple kind. 1t
was chiefly remarkable, perhaps, for
its paucity Of mourn RS. But, as Mr..
MerdOck had explained, the late Mr.. Del
pratt had, legally speaking, no relatives.
No ''inheritable blood" to use the con-
veyancers' term, had flowed in his veins,
AMI he had died childless.
Ernest Delpratt was the chief mourner.
Keep close to me, Pixley," Mr.. Mer-
dock whispered to his friend, after the flu
neral ceremony was concluded, and the
mourners had returned to the manor
house. Then he added aloud, al wish it
to be fully known that l have attended
here to-day as the friend of many years
and the professional adviser, of the late
Eustace We're Delpratt.''
"That is quite understood" said Err.
nest Delpratt, rather impatiently. "It is
now proposed that in that character you
should read the will of the deceased. He
placed upon the table small packet the
seals of which had been broken.
You wish me to do so?'
Certainly. wish all the usual forms
to be observed on this melancholy occa-
sicn."
"Be it so, then. And you produce this
document as the last will of the late Mr..
Eustace We're Delpratt?'
Mr.. Merdock took his seat at the head
of the table. He placed beside him a
small black leather bag.
1.-THE will you produce. d" he said, with
a grave. business-like air, turning toward
Ernest Delpratt, ''bears date the 18th of
March, 1859. 1t was drawn by me, and
my name appears as that Of one of the
witnesses, attesting the due execution of
the document by the testatOr. BY this
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