The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1881-09-13

and he hurried of . Most exfraoFdina-
~ freak of the dear old lady'si She has
made new win leaving 10000 to me
At least I'm to have the life interest, and
then IT'S 70 60 to Freda! She has taken
fancy 70 her. / can't witness the will of
course, 30 we want you. The rest of the
money goes to the county charities, ss ]
expected. Nothing to that man down
stairs.n
We entered Miss Corbett's room. The
old lady sat upright in bed supported by
weeping Miss Patty. In the gloom /
could just discover pair of very bright
eyes looking out of hatchet face sur
rounded by voluminous frillings. Parker
and the old housekeeper were present,
and the doctor. On the hearth several
sheets of torn blue paper smouldered-
the previous viii supposed The new
one with writing materials was on table
near the bed.
Do just what she tells you whisper
ed the doctor; any discussson or excite
ment may be fatal She was quite ration
al can testify to that"
SIS that your son, Mr.. Rivers ?'' asked
a high, shaky voice from the bed "Then
give me the pen. Quick!" she gasped q
little" Quick See herer'
Parker held the light while she made
shaky but perfectly legible 6 ''Annabella-"
A tap came at the door; she threw the
pen down. ats Jonathan! Keep him out
He'll murder me!'' and then fell back
speechless.
1t was Mr.. Jonathan Marillier. We
hustled him out with scant ceremony and
returned to the bed. Burnaby shook his
head" It's question of moments now,"
and as he spoke Miss Corbett's head fell
back on the pillow. Miss Patty broke in
to loud fit of sobbing, the unsigned will
slipped from the bed and fell at my feet,
a useless heap of waste paper, and in that
moment Brockwood and all belonging to
it passed from the poor old lady's hands
into the grasp of Mr.. Jonathan MarilIier
My father behaved splendidly. No al
lusion to his loss ever passed his lips. He
officiated at the funeral, of course went
and found myselfin the same carriage with
brisk young solicitor from London, rep
resenting the firm employed by Miss Cor
bett
"He's an awful cad, that Marillier,"
said Mr.. Harry Blew, discussing his client
with engaging frankness-"t the meanest
little screw ever met with. Ihope he'll
withdraw his business from US, that's all.
Think of his disputing the servants
claims to months wages, and recon-
mending us to send that poor little
black prince to the Union. He makes
me sick, he does. / can't stand him
much longer. l must stay down here
till affairs are wound up though. Lucky
for me the majors come"
Major Marillier, from Ireland ?''
Yes; didn't you see him? He's here,
man, monkey and all. His afectionate
cousin isn't overoyed to have him, but
he seems a cool hand, says he'll stay a
week, and evidently doesn't mean to be
turned out before he chooses"
Blew went on to tell me that there had
been a careful search made for a will,
though to moral certainty none existed,
Miss Corbett's ways being well known.
Mr.. Jonathan Marillier took possession
in due course. Mr.. Blew extorted some
concessions from him by representing that
his conduct would be severely criticised
by the country; and as Jonathan quite
intended starting in life as a local mag
nate, "as soon as Rhoda could travel"
he was amenable to reason.
He actually asked US to dinner one day,
before Major MariIIier departed. /
should say that the major spent fair
share of his time at the rectory, and was
deeply touched at the hearing of Freda's
narrow escape of heiress-ship.
We found the party to consist of Mr..
Blew, the Marillier cousins, ourselves,
and Lord AIlonby, big, jovial squire of
the old school. The dinner was maguif-
cent, worthy of the display of family
plate which attended it. Parker waited
under protest; in fact it was only out
of consideration for Major Marillier that
he condescended to remain under the
same roof with Mr.. Jonathan, he informed
me- It was dismal ceremony. The
cousins were barely on speaking terms;
Blew looked bored, Allonby hungry,
and the major grave and curiously alb
sent.
Jonathan was captions and argumenta-
tive when he wasn't boastful, talking of
the changes that would be made "when
the place had master"
Where's that pineapple?'' he sud-
denly asked.
Parker looked slightly confused, but
replied with dignity: IAN accident has
happened to it, ! believe, SIR; bat I'll
inquire"
aWhat has become Of IL? insist on
knowingr
Parker had disappeared, but one of the
footmen replied: