Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1874-07-16


of the physicians who had been present at the
consultation of their deceased uncles case
and they professed to be glad to see me.
Now there was no earthly ly reason why they
should have been glad to see me, especially
before had told them what my business was
and could see very plainly that they were
not glad: 1t was an instinct with them tc
keep on the right side of a man who had won:
dered what made their old relative i'll. l told
them I had called to make some enquiries
concerning the illness of Ebenezer Varney
adding that this was the first opportunity
found since his death, and had embraced it.
I had been conducted into the parlor, which
was warmed by good fire, and we three were
alone together l told them hoped they
would excuse me for troubling them. O, ii
was no trouble. They were very glad had
come. 1t was pleasant to see any one who
had tried to be Of service to their poor dear
uncle. And Mrs. A dam Varney wiped her
eyes with the corner of her apron.
I very quickly saw that Adam Varney was
guilty man. He showed it in every look
and every motion. But / saw that Mrs
Adam-otherwise Nancy Varney-was the
demon of the establishment. Her husband
looked toward her with an appealing, wailing
expression, seeming to say unto her, "For
heavens sake, save me! You have dragged
me down; don't let them trample upon mel
And she in turn seemed to say, "Don't be a
fool. Keep up your courage. They can't
prove anything"
I led them Oh from step to step, until had
Fror, fbop, n fboronph ocoount 0f thnlT
uncle's illness and death; and during this
time the husband paled and trembled great
many times, while the wife talked as calmly
and coolly as could be, save when she was
straining out few tears and wiping them
away.
At length folded my arms upon my bosom
and looked the man steadily in the face.
When he met that gaze he trembled like an
aspen. and I caught the halfangry, halfim-
ploring look and gesture which his wife d.
rected toward him.
"Adam Varney," said /, with slow and
stern solemnity, 81 am not an avenging spirit.
vengeance is mine, saith the Lord ! For
myself, I regard the man who bears upon his
soul the memory Of great crime as sufferer
to be pitied; and while felt assured that he
would commit no more crime like unto it, |
might not deliver him into the hands of the
law. Let US suppose case: Suppose a
man-ay, suppose you-had committed a
murder. All you are i'll p
doctor Williams" cried the wife in spite
full accents, "what do you mean by coming
here and talking such stuff? My husband is
q poor, weak, nervous man, and such talk as
that always unmans him. He never could
read about murders in the papers without
going into spasms."
Then, madam" said I, as coolly as posi-
BILE, II will direct my remarks to you"
II Idon't want to hear them p she exclaimed.
"But you must hear them. You had better
hear them, than that should 60 out from
here and speak them to another"
"Really, doctor, you are very funny. I al
most think you are crazy"
"And what do you think ?" demanded of
Adam.
The man started, as though from horrid
dream, and stared at me wildly.
"Who-who-w -what-are you?" he gasped.
II am one who has come to demand JUS
tice !" replied. And then turning again to
the woman, 1 added, "Nancy Varney, / say
unto you-your hands are red with blood !"
She sank back into her chair, and the color
fled from her cheeks. She sank down as
though she had been stricken by heavy blow.
A few seconds so, and then she started once
more to life.
"Fool madman liar" she yelled. "You
have some base purpose in trying to frighten
me! But you cannot do it"
"You mistake, madam" I said, calmly and
smilingly. 81 have no thought of frightening
you. But, on the contrary, l seek to restore
you to state less painful and dreadful than
the one you are now in. Listen to me, and
will tell you what would have you do. But
first answer me this: Did your Uncle Ebe-
nezer leave a will p
"Nov' she cried, vehemently. "He left no
such thing. He never made will. He
never thought of making will. If any body
says he made will, that body lies! There,
sir! That's what I've got to say about the
willr
"And now" I pursued, 81 would have you
hearken to a proposition which | have to
make. On the morrow your husband will 60
to a certain firm Of solicitors whom | shall ap-
point to administer to his uncle's estate, and
he will say unto them, "Gentlemen, 1 cannot
enjoy a property which is not properly my
own. l know it was my uncle's wish that ten
thousand pounds of his money should be given
to Mrs. Mary Downing He also wished
that five thousand pounds should be given be-
tween the three children Of his brothers
widow-the children which were born to her
after she married her second husband. They
are now orphans, and he loved them dearly.
He furthermore desired that a thousand
pounds should be given to the church of
which he was so long member and that the
rest of his property, after paying his debts,
should be safely invested in the funds, the
proceeds therefrom to be used for the educa-
ton Of such friendless orphans and the chill
dren of the poor parents, residents in his ma
tive town, as may be deemed worthy of the
assistance. And he will say unto them fur
ther, that for himself and his wife, Nancy, he
claims only the house in which they now live,
his uncle having intended that she should
own it"
The woman gazed at me in blank amaze
ment; but before she could speak, contin.
ued, eff your husband will do this, l will
pledge myself that will never dvulge the
dreadful secret which has come to my knowl-
edge. I know how, day by day, you gave to
that poor, confding old man the poison that
destroyed his life. know how you mixed the
antimony with the drink you gave him how
you changed the medicine of the physician
into deadly draught; and how you saw
your uncle wasting asting-his
strength failing, and his life ebbing; saw him
suffering from the effects of the fatal drug
and yet you continued to administer it. 0,
Adam Varney-"
Until that moment the man sat like one