The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1877-11-24
a HAl.LUCiNATiON.

had worked hard all day, and my nervous
.ystcm was completely upset, yet the most i'm.
DOrtant chain of evidence remained in II con
used mass Of written information that must
" reduced TO Il series of neatly arranged pa
pers, made out in the usual legal phrase, and
Joth logical and eloquent, as the bare evidence
vas not OF half rs much importance as the in
,crpolatcd passages of convincing pathOs and
sublimity. had worked myself to II shadow
N this case, which every member Of the bar
n New York must still rcmcmbcr-thc con.
'cstcd will Of the rich Wall street broker, Colin
Armstrong, which ate up its endowment in
awycrs fees, and was only saved to the right
heirs ut last by the chance discovery OF plod-
ding lawycr-but that in due time
! was young and ambitious then, but had
title 10 do, SO little that could barely afford
. dress fit for the society | found myself in,
iOr as | always had made it II rule To keep
good company or none, the few friends | had
we're among the educated and refined of the
lily. In one home, particularly, were all the
aOncomitants of Il high position found, wealth
md refinement and social standing that cX-
GUIDED everything base and false. ! aludc to
lhc family Of Judge Malburn, where | was Il
constant visitor, and always received with ia.
Jor by the Judge and his good, mothcrly wife.
They had known my father, and probably
Pcrc kind TO me from respect 10 his memory,
Or there could be but little advantage of "A
5rcflcSs lawyer but | never felt during my
,erm of visiting ut Judge Malburns that |
vas anything else than valued friend, with
aim and his WIFE but there was another mem.
Der of the family in whose good opinion was
exceedingly anxious to stand well, and this
vas Madeline, the Judges only daughter. |
cannot tell YOU whether she was beautiful or
not To others: | only know she was the en-.
bodimcnt Of all-pshaw. probably you've
been married ten years, reader, and will laugh
II nv raving Never mnd sentiment.
| loved Madeline, rs "A man loves once, and
but once, in his life, but whether she cared for
ne or not, in the way wanted her too. could
not tell; she did not show il in her face nor
ell it in her speech, and | was too fearful OF
losing her friendship To ask the final question.
She accepted of my escort To parties, spent
quiet evenings nj home with me, was kind and
gentle and womanly, but never demonstrative
and met all my stupid attempts at lovcmaking
with blank unconsciousncss that she could
he the person in question: that left me no re-
source but to declare myself plainly. Bah! a
miserable third-raie lawyer, without money OF
brainsl
Nothing in the world but my love for Made
line would have prompted me To offer my ser
wees in the will case and was quite surpris
ed when they were retained, for | knew if
gained the case my fortune was made and
went TO work with zeal that astonished my
staid co-workers, who, from the height of sue
cess could afford to smile little supcrciliously
on me
had been at work at ii for six months. and
the time was nearly ended when I, must be a
grand success or a grand failure was com
pletely worn out and still lacked one impor
tant link in the chain Of evidence that. II
complete, won my side the victory. had
been toiling against time 10 produce this, bui
had not yet succeeded.
On this night was working desperately; !
had spent the earlier part Of the evening with
Madeline, who looked enchantingly beautiful