The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1879-05-14


every probably your aunt may not care
to sell the plate--I should not myself if
| owned such q one-but if Mrs. Hunter
gives me the commission, / shall GER
tainly come, for the pleasure of making
another call upon you" He lifted his
hat as he spoke, and with a courteous
bow followed Mrs. Hunter down the
path.
That's n real gentleman" solilo-
quized Raby, as they drove off. And
she-I don't know. She's pretty, and
her voice is pleasant, but somehow
there's difference. l don't think / like
her-quite." She had her own ideas
about life, this little Raby, about "real
ladies and "real gentlemen, and in
stinct helped her surely to conclusions
usually arrived at only by the slow pro-
cess of experience.
Mr.. Freke did drive over next day.
He was received very grimly by Aunt
Sabina Marsh, whom he found in
trenched, as it were, in front Of her cor
ner cupboard, and resolved not to cede
her plate, or listen to any arguments
whatever on the subject. This refusal,
sooth to say, caused no particular grief
to the disloyal messenger. He cared
little for the plate, but good deal for
the chance for another chat with Raby,
who was more piquantly pretty than
ever, in the effort to hide her amusement
at her aunt's grim and defiant manners.
Ernest Freke made one more call at
the old house before he went back to
town, but only one. &c could fall in
love with that girl" )" he said to himself
as he drove homeward; and he made a
little picture in his mind of Raby in n
fresh morning dress, pouring out coffee
g 1,s &C, 60
table for two, with sunshine streaming
through an open window behind, and
touching with glints of gold all that
| beautiful hazel hair of hers-a pretty
picture. Ernest Freke was half artist,
and his imagination naturally coniured
| such scenes; but he shook his head.
He could not afford to marry Chat point
was settled long ago) unless, indeed But
| here he shook his head again. The
chances were against his falling in love
with a girl who had money. He could
not do without the money, and he would
not do without the love, so he dismissed
the idea of marriage. He was an hon
orable young fellow at heart, however,
and he would not go again to see Raby.
Whats the useP" he told himself.
Better not" But Mrs. Hunter and
| her guests became wearisome to him
1 n
| to town and to his business, in which he
immersed himself. For while Raby''
face fioated before his eyes; but the
| image dimmed as months went by, anC
| in time would probably have faded out
altogether, had it not been recalled oddly
and unexpectedly by the following cir
| cumstance.
He was passing one day the shop o
| n taXidermist, an elderly man, will
whom he had some slight acquaintance
when he heard his name called.
"Did you want me, Mr.. Balchp" put
ting his head in at the door. Il though
| heard your voice."
"Oh, yes, Mr.. Freke, I did want vol
very much, and I ventured to call anC
stop YOU" replied Mr.. Balch, hurryini
out from an inner room. Excuse me
| just waited to put on my coat. IT.
about Mrs. Morpeth's will, Mr.. Freke.
"And who was Mrs. Morpethp p
asked Ernest, seating himself on wood
en- bench.
"Mrs. Morpeth, sir! Why, you mus
know, think, or at least you will know
her house, the one with the queer steps
in Dun street.-the Rallied House, as tn
neighbors call it,"
"Oh, that queer, handsome old hous
| l.
I have often wondered who lived there
: And what did Mrs. Morpeth do about
willP"
"Well, that's just it, sir. I'm in
great difficulty. Mrs. Morpeth left m
her executor, sir, and don't know wha
to do about it. You see, sir, there's
2 good bit of property-a very good bii
t She was clever, for woman, yer
5 clever. And she bought up real estat
5 all over the city. And there's tn
e Rallied House and what it holds; fift
t thousand dollars, should say it wa
= worth, at least; some folks think it wi
: foot up TO sixty
: "That's nice sum indeed, But whg
= is your difficulty? Who are the heirs
J. "That's just it, Mr.. Freke-nobod
d can tell, sir. 1t is left to But ] hay
e a copy of the will here; I'll show you.
e The document, briefly drawn, but
It strict legal,form, devised all property {
a every description of which the testatC
l. might die possessed "to the child {
z children of my niece Esther lie Barol
d eldest daughter of my sister Estho
+ Platt. / do not know their presel
r name or residence" That was al
n Nothing could be more indefinite.
4 Have you done anything about fin
E. ing these Platts-I mean lie BarOns!
I'd said Ernest, folding up the paper.
OF "No, haven't. l don't know how
ne begin about it. That was why want
he to see you, Mr.. Freke. Ought l to a
n vertisep
re "I should think so, certainly. b
id are there no letters or papers in t
e. house TO give a clewP.
nd 81 haven't lit on any. sir. But ther
ty haven't searched regular, Could y
m spare the time to step round there wi
ch me, Mr.. FrekeP l should be We
grateful
l," 81 couldn't to-day, but might
.e- morrow
nix So the appointment was made.
to- The Rallied House had been a stat,
Tx mansion in its day, with other stat,
Lr. mansions about it. Now, with IA ju
oil shop on either side, and a row of sailo
hnardin n- hnnsas nnnnsitn N lnnked n