The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1880-04-05
MY WIFES INHERITANCE.
In Three Chapters.
CHAPTER II. (Continued.)

sation forbade it, and yet how else explain
the will as it was read thas afternoon?
To be sure, he might have done 50 with
out saying ANYTHING to me about it; but
! could not bring myself to think so.
When retired to rest fell asleep, no
nearer solution. The last thing re-
member was that ] determined to go to
l Kinton the next morning and consult
| Mr.. Sparks, legal friend of mine. This
resolution duly carried Unto effect, and
luckily found him at his Office and dis
bSngaged. After the usual greetings and
Ia little ordinary conversation, opened
ithe subject uppermost in my mind, and
THAT he might clearly understand it, |
igave detailed account of my connection
with the Russell family. / recounted
the old mans affection for his niece, and
land the confidence he reposed in me, and
then narrated the incidents Of the inter-
view in which Mr.. Russell showed me the
will and its contents. then dwelt upon
the death, funeral, and reading of the
Twill, the contents of which were so to-
tally different from what IIhad expected.
This done, / asked his advice ard
opinion.
Gas to my opinion" he said, "I must
| have time to consider; but my advice is
that you leave the matter in my hands
for few days, and l will see his solicitor
and examine the will myself. suppose
4 there is no question of the validity of the
signature? Who we're the witnessesw
I "Their names are James Dobson and
| William Green"
4 "Ahl Well, come to me inthree days.
and bring them with you; or, if they can
I not come, bring a specimen OF their
handwriting. By-the-by, who were the
\ witnesses of the will which you read in
Il the presence of the old gentlemanw
\ "Unfortunately, can not remember" J"
y "That's pity; still it does not matter
/. much. The chances are that Mr.. Russell
I had the same men, and you can easily
!: fpd out if they witnessed his signature
at two different times; or, ifnot, Cottam
is not such a large place that it would
be difficult to find out if any other two
/ men ever acted as witnesses"
"rhen you think two wills were really
madeP'
"Why, what else can 1 think? You
yourself saw one, and another was pro-
duced." .l. .....
"But could not the one saw be al
teredW
"Ahl that is an exceedingly difficult
matter, and almost sure to be detected.
Besides. who was to do it? You say it
was kept in a secret receptacle, known
only to Mr.. Russell and yourself; so that
it really does seem to me on the face of
it, that he changed his mind, and made
another will some time between his con-
versation with you and his death. The
old will he would doubtless destroy at
the same time. But leave the matter in
nv hands, and will look into it."
As this was all that could be done, /
took my leave, and returned to Gotham.
The next day l sought out Dobson and
Green; and as they could not go to Kin
ton, asked them to give me specimen
of their usual signature. They both re-
membered witnessing Mr.. Russels sigma
ture to paper; but neither had done
80 more than once. With this informa-
ton l waited upon Mr.. Sparks at the
time appointed. He was ready to re-
ceive me, and entered upon the matter
'at once.
"I have seen the will" he said, "and l
am bound to say it seems correct in every
particular-not sign of an erasion or
alteration in any part. Everything is
written in the clear, concise style for
which Mr.. Russell was so noted. We
lawyers of Kinton have had many op-
portunities of seeing wills made by the
same hand, and for one have no doubt
that the one shown me is the genuine
work of Mr.. Russell. Whether it was
made before or after the one you saw is
another question, which can only be de-
cided by the production of-what I may
style-your will, if still in existence.
Until you can produce that see no help
for it but TO let things take their
course"
"But can we not oppose the proving
of that wil?" l said with some heat, not
being pleased at the idea of giving up
the fight so easily.
"My dear sir, / should be glad to
enter a 'caveat' for you, or rather in the
name of Miss Saunders, for you have no
standing in the matter, not being of kin
or legatee; but what should we gain un-
less we can support it in court of law?
and confess at present I can see no
grounds to act upon. We can not say
on account of undue influence, when, by
your own showing, all the influence, if
any, was on the other side. Nor can we
bring evidence to prove that Mr.. Russell
was Incapable of making will +; the very
clearness and precision of it prove that
he was"
"But," still persisted, "what do you
make of the will which I read with Mr..
Russeps sanction andin his presenceT
"Well, in truth can not make any
thing of it. Produce it, and / dare say
shall do better. But Pll tell you what
think an opposing counsel would say.
He would first say that doubtless Mr..
Russell altered his mind, made another
will, and put it in the desk without tell
ing YOU ANYTHING about it. Or, he might