The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1880-12-02

hour should arrive. How slowly the time
passed! At last the hour pointed to 7.80.
rose up, put on my overcoat, and depart
ed on my errand. It was bitter cold
winters night. The snow was drifting
directly In my face, but still pressed on.
l soon reached the hotel and entered one
OF the private supper rooms. These rooms
as every frequenter Of Lovejoy's knows,
are divided only by thin partition from
each other, so that a conversation carried
on In the adjoining apartments, can, by
attentive listeners, be overheard. ! Or
dered my supper, and while pretending to
eat 1t, kept my cars open. Some time
passed and no sound reached me. At last
heard the sound of door shutting, and
one person ent cred the room on my right;
few minutes moro elapsed, and again
the door shut. The first person had been
joined by another. crept cautiously up
to the partition and fixed my car to 1t.
"Mr. Norval," exclaimed a voice which
l did not recognize, 81 am glad to see
YOU"
'And I assure you, Mr.. Mills, I am
more pleased to see you. saw your ad-
vertisement in to-day's Heratd, and am
here In consequence"
II knew Mr.. Mill was bI---'s conf
DENTAL clerk. The other speaker was OF
course Charles Norval.
"Yes, worded it as agreed" continued
the clerk. 81 was almost afraid, however,
you might have forgotten it, and feared Il
would be too obscure. But 1t was neces-
sary, you know, to blind others eyes"
20. yes. l understand all about that.
When did you get hold of the precious
dooumentY" .
''Only yesterday. You know he had
left the will In his private desk, and it was
only by chance that l obtained tho key.
The moment did 80, seized the docu-
ment, and put in Its place piece of blank
paper"
''Do you think ho has discovered the loss
YETI"
"Oh, no; I am certain he has not. |
have watched him well all day."
swell, then, now to business, said young
Norval fHsw much do you want for the
will2"
1T is very valuable paper, Mr. Nor
va" replied the villainous clerk. II sup
pose you know It's provisions?'' =.
"Oh, yes; overheard ~ read the
paper after he had drawn it up. know
that father has left cousin Mary everything,
while on me, his lawful heir, he has only
settled miserable pension. When that
document Is burned, I will bring her
naughty spirit down. She will cringe and
tawn on me then. But come, what am I
to give you for it2"
"1ou shall give me your note Of hand
for $4,000. payable when you come into
the property"
"Agreed-agreedl Here, l will write
it on the spot"
could hear them arranging some papers
on the table. cautiously left the apart
mont, and crept nolselessly to the door of
the room where this worthy pair were
seated. / applied my eye to the keyhole
and saw that Norval was In tho cot of
writing promissory note. This done, he
handed 1t to tho clerk, who after exam
lining 1t, placed it carefully in his pocket
book. He then drew out the will and
handed it to Norval. The latter eagerly
perused 1t, emile Of qualification over
spreading his features.
"Now," said he, 'smy fair cousin Mary,
you are In my power, and by heavens, l
Will teach you how to love me. 80, SO, you
arc Deggar now, and am the wealthy
Dir. Norval. They say money can buy
anything. will see if it cannot buy your
smiles. But will not marry you; that
idea has passed. To the fire, then, l COM
init the only thing between me and my
righttul property"
80 saying, he placed his hands On tho
will in order to cast II into the flames, but
at that moment burst into the room and
pinned the legal document to the table
with my hand. My motion was so rapid,
that the two consplrators must have thought
that 1t was something supernatural.
"Holdl' l exclaimed In a loud voice;
''your villainy is not yet perpetrated."
l shall never forget the look of horrorre-
vealed On the countonances of the two vii
lalns. quietly folded up the will and
transferred 1t to nay pocket. Ms
clerk rushed from the room, and from that
day to this have not seen him. have
heard, however, that he Is in Australia.
Young Norval was completely crestfallen,
and left my presence without uttering q
word. That same night restored the
will to Dir. Ms possession, and the
delight with which he received it was be-
yond all bounds.
Mary Norval had no difficulty whatever,
IN proving her right to the property; in
TACT there was no one to dispute 1t. It
was her desire that her cousin should not
be prosecuted for the part he had taken in
the nefarious transaction. She increased
his allowance to double the amount that
had been left him by his father. He did
not live long, however, to enjoy 1t, for he
died Of delirium tremens a year after his
fathers death. Mary was soon after mar
ried to wealthy Bostonian. I had the
pleasure to be at her wedding. She is now
the mother of happy family, and beloved
by all who knew her in her new home.
N was 80 well pleased with my share
of the transaction that he became staunch
friend OF mine, and materially increased
my business by recommending me to all
IN want OF the services Of good detective
officer.
Fifteen factories in this oountry
turn out 500 tons Of glucose daily.