The Lake County star. [volume] (Chase, Mich.) 1873-current, 1874-07-02
fortunate thing for Mr.. Adam Varney

1Oo may WNih oay ~. ~ HiNNo thSbi
twenty thousand pounds, at least"
mortem which it had'been my privilege
to hold; but after conversing with him a
while upon other matters, l took my
leave, and called next at the residence OF
Adam Varney, and was fortunate enough
to find that individual at home. He
and his wife both remembered me as one
of the physicians who had been present
at the consultation of their deceased
uncle's case, and they professed to be
glad to see me.
Now there was no earthly reason why
they should have been glad to see me,
especially before l had told them what
my business was; and could see very
plainly that they were not glad. 1t was
an instinct with them to keep Oh the
right side of man who had wondered
what made their old relative i'll. l told
them that had called to make some in
quiries concerning the illness of Ebenezer
Varney, adding that this was the first
opportunity / had found since his death,
and Ihad embraced it.
had been conducted in 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, it 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. Adam Varney wiped her eyes
with the corner of her apron.
very quickly saw that Adam Varney
was a 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 mer
And she in turn scented to say, "Don't
be fool. Keep up your courage. They
can't prove anything"
l led them on from step to step, until
L had gained from them q thorough ac-
count of their 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 l 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 / caught the
halfangry, halfimploring look and ges-
ture which his wife directed toward
him.
"Adam Varney," said /, with slow
and stern solemnity, "I am not an
avenging spirit. Vengeance is mine,
saith the Lordp For myself, 1 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 murder. All! you are i'll 7"
doctor Williams" cried the wife, in
spiteful accents, "what do you mean by
coming here and talking such stuff? My
husband is a poor, weak, nervous man,
and such talk as that always unmans
him. He never could read about MUIR
ders in the papers without going into
spasms."
"Then, madam" said I, as coolly as
possible, 81 will direct my remarks to
you."
81 don't want to hear themw she ex-
claimed.
"But you must hear them. You had
better hear them, than that l should go
out from here and speak them to another"
Really, doctor, you are very funny.
l almost think you are crazy"
And what do you thinkT' l de-
manded of Adam.
The man started, as though from q
horrid dream, and stared at me wildly.
Observation-Disclosures you?" he
gasped.
81 am one who has come to demand
justice" / replied. And then turning
again to the woman, l 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! mailman! liarv" she yelled.
You have some base purpose in trying
to frighten me! But you can not do it,"
"You mistake, madam" Isaid, calmly
and smilingly. 81 have no thought of
frightening you. But, on the contrary,
| seek to restore you to state less pain
full and dreadful than the one you are
now in. Listen to me, and l will tell
you what / would have you do. But
first answer me this Did your Uncle
Ebenezer leave Will %
"Nop' she cried, vehemently. He
left no such thing. He never made q
will. He never thought of making u
will. If anybody says he made will,
that body lies! There, sir! That's what
I've got to say about the willp
."And now," pursued, az would have
you hearken to proposition which /
have to make. On the morrow your hus-
band will 60 to certain firm of solicitors
whom / shall appoint to administer tn
his uncle's estate, and he will say unto
them, Gentlemen, can not enjoy a
property which is not properly my own.
/ know t 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 between the three children OF
his brothers widow--th, children which
were born to her after she married her
second husband. They are now orphans,
and he loved them dearly. He further
more desired that 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 education of such friendless or
phaps and the children of poor parents,
residents in his native town, as may be
deemed worthy of the assistance. And
he will say unto them further, that for
himself and his wife, Nancy, he claims
only the house in which they now live,
his uncle having intended that he should
own it,"
The woman gazed at me IN blank amaze
ment; but, before she could speak, / con-
tinued If your husband will do this,
/ will pledge myself that will never di-
vulge the dreadful secret which has come
to my knowledge. know how, day by
dov won oo va to that NOR confiI.oo III