Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-02-19

Lee 10; and don't want q handsome prop-
efty to be split up-that would be sort OF q
shame. Neither Firentz nor Lucis has any ex-
pectation Of getting what may have to leave,
whatever others may. It's for the sake OF the
property that 1t must go into one hand. Aud.
Mr.. Lake daren't trust the very walls OF my
bedroom with the name | choose. Il was to
ask you to write the name In my WILL l should
have to speak lt to you and for aught know
the Count or the Major may have brlOei the
nurse to listen at that very door"
Write 1t down for me, then; here is the
pen"
NO. The paper might get dropped about,
name. 1t isn't that / don't trust ye, but We
might say 1t out In a dream. and your wife
might hear 1t. and she might let it out by some
a place like CANTERBURY, aud then the Count
or the Major would get at the secret as sure as
you're alive. And then there's no counting the
ylllanies that wouldn't be done; they'd be try
ing to get me shut up in a madhouse. and forg-
Ing and numbering some one maybe: anyhow
tbere'd be no comfort in living II 1 am to live
any more. I've thought OF way to keep of all
support the will, and to save every bit OF
bother. I'll write the name myself in the Will
with my own hand. and then cover 1t over
While ye write the rest and yen give me your
written till I'm dead and gone"
The whim was stupid one, thought, for
self so clear headed; but there was certainly no
apparent harm In indulging her. But" said
l, las you wish to take such extreme precau-
TONS does IL not strike you that IL Is easier for
an eXpectant heir to overhaul will than Tor q
solicitor to break confidence in a dream?''
I've thought OF all that" said she. cot
course they II try to overhaul. and where there's
will there's a way-but there's more ways of
killing a dog than hanging him. I'll manage
SO that III every servant In the house Is In the
Counts pay or the Majors. they shall earn
their money for nothing at all. SO I'll take the
pen, If ye please, and the will; give me dip Of
INK and any scrap of paper We find handy"
gave her all she asked for. She first of all,
very Slowly, wrote down upon the scrap OF
what she was going to enter In the VIII. Then
she coptt it into the document even yet more
slowly, dwelling, as it seemed, upon every let
ter.
She thrust the scrap OF paper on which she
had made her first memorandum under her
pillow, and then carefully folded the will itself
so that could see nothing without deliberately
breaking my word. Dr. kirwan and myself
were appointed executors; and the execution of
the will was witnessed by the nurse and neigh
cor. There was certainly nothing remarkable
about Miss M0lloy's Will so far but the Excess
sive care she had taken that its principal pro
vision should not even be guessed at until she
died.
Nor did Miss Molloy die quite so soon as
Major, finding a protracted stay at the Old
Swan beyond their means, had parted. deadly
enemies-all the more deadly because each in
spired the other with feeling OF mortal terror
and Mrs. OBtrn had to bear, at her husbands
hands, the burden OF punishment for the sins
OF her br0ther-in-laW. But, however, that may
be, the day came at last when [ heard from DR..
kirwan the long expected news that my Client
Miss Bridgita Molloy. was alive no more.
.'She couldn't have lasted another week."
said he. But all the same, might have kept
her going for another day or two, with care
Would you believe it, but the obstinate old lady
only the night before last gave her nurse the
slip, and, weak as she was, went all over the
M 10 In nr1.l
was relief to her. and she was a queer Old
lady in some ways-and the worst patient In all
the toWn-but Pm sorry she's gone
And that am afraid, was the only note OF
honest mourning which Miss Molloy with all
her many virtues and her Singularly few weak
neSSeS, was privileged to receive. She had al
ways hidden her good qualities out OF public
sight; and hardness Of manner, like charity,
covers great DEAL
To the last 81 had stuck to her Will. 1t was
found under her pillow when she died, sealed
W1ll-B. M" own 1t was with some curiosity
that opened 1t; for she had made such mys-
terry OF what should have been very simple
piece of business, that had some misgiving3
nephew alike, and made her dog Dash or some
Anti Matrimonial Society her residuary lega-
tee. My own sympathies were with Miss Lucis
my WifeS With Lieutenant FirenU Steldl.
That was little matter OF human nature: as
matter OF reason we felt that they had
equal claims, and that twenty-five thousand
pounds would have borne equal partition very
we'll
SO broke open The envelope, unrolded the
will. and read:
- And all the residue OF my property
whether real or personal, give, bequeath, and
devise to q XDSw DYBDov MINT
IDZXZ.S
Ill,
That was the bequest-as clear TO the sight as
1t was dark to the mind. Had been mistaken
ana had MISS Molloy been insane after ali? If
that were so, every penny OF The five-snd-twen-
" thousand pounds would have TO be divided
between the Count and the Major, as the hus-
bands OF her next OF kin. NO, surely that in.
sanity was impossible.
twisted the document up and down and
round and round. Those letters still obstinate
ly remained as they were; the alphabet, at any
rate, had gone mao, unless 1t was who had
gone insane. | needed some evidence OF nv
own senses, and carried the Will straight TO my
CO executor, DR.. kirWan.
''She was an odd old lady" said he al last.
but I'll bear witness In any court you like that
she was as sane as anybody that ever made
Will"
but what's to be done?"
''Ah what indeed What's the effect OF this
will as 1t stands?'
I'm just hanged II know. The Wits other
wise without flaw. And In all my practice.
and all my reading too, l never heard of the
alphabet's being made residuary legatee. /
don't like TO say, without consideration that
there's no principle court OF equity would 60
upon; but / don't know of one / don't see
even mo now IL would come within the doctrine Of
whats that -
why, that when the conditions OF a gift
can't be literally carried out, the Court OF
Chancery VIII decree some method conformable
to the general object, and following the inten-
lions OF the donor as nearly as possible"
Then" said DR.. KHwan, ~ should say the
Court would apply the estate to the foundation
OF a college for the study OF conundrums. But
--holloa, Lake. here's something else dropped
out OF the envelope; perhaps It's the answer.
It's letter addr essed to you"
That, also, was sealed. When / opene It.
found only these words:
'lf you are puzzled, lift up the carpet In the
drawing-room In the corner between the fire
place and window, under the chiffonier. NJ"
We went together straight to the house OF the
late Miss Molloy, and, according to our instruc-
tons, turned up the carpet In the corner OF the
draWing-rOOm Sure enough, we found another
sealed note addressed to me.
LOOK, we read Eat page l,3 Ia the second
volume OF Gibbons Decline and Fall. Ii Is on
q shelf In the breakfast-room.-B. NJ"
was too vexed at all this folly aud mysti1ca-
ton to smile.
by Jupiter" exclaimed the doctor this
accounts for that midnight ramble over her
house just before she died. She was writing
these notes and hiding them. Poor old lady
It's not an uncommon thing, though, for peo-
pie on their death beds 10 fancy themselves
surrounded by spies and enemies. 1t isn't lun-
acy, though, Ell?
"But It's the cause OF lunacy In others"
grumbled |. "Well, now for Gtbbon."
And there exactly on page ia OF volume H.
was yet third sealed note for me. And this
ran:
key behind Wainscot three inches toward