The Portland daily press., 1881-11-07

a tongue highly decorated and frilled with
| lace paper. We got quite excited at first,
but it began to feel chilly, and we made a
movement toward friendly attic window
| opened for our descent.
"Stop, please, implored the major; only a
moment longer" His voice was husky and
queer, and his hand, laidi on my arm, trem-
bled violently.
''Hurry, menl Is that all?'
Every bit, sir, except some torn papers
and litter"
''Send it down."
Down came an armful of rubbish Allonby
kicked it over as it lay at his feet in the gut
ter 'sMore family plate, ha! hap and he
picked up a tin flour dredger, battered and
rusty. ''What's this inside?" A big en-
velope full of papers was doubled up and
crushed into it.
Family letters! That is my affair." said
Jonathan. ''Hold the lanterns, some one"
They are damp and disclored, but the en-
velope, linen-lined, still hung together Blew
ooked over his shoulder.
''Last will and testament Of" he read.
think, Mr.. Marillier, | had better take
charge of that" and he drewit without cere-
mony from Jonathan's hand. suppose we
go down and look this over, gentlemen"
We left Congo and his tormentors to ad-
Just their differences, and descended,
Such set of dirty, disreputable figures as
the drawing-room mirrors reflected, IL any
one had had time to think of it.
My father started from a quiet nap, and
stared in amazement at our appearance, but
stared more when he beheld our plunder.
1t proved to be, as we all guessed, one of
Miss Corbett's numerous wills, and wonder
of wonders in favor of Gustavus Adolphus
Marillier of her fhajesty's 18th regiment
(roval Manx fusileers)!
| gave cheer-I could not help it--so did
Allonby; and we rushed at him to congratu-
late him, before we remembered Jonathan's
presence. He ragged, stormed, talked OF con-
spiracy, and vowed he'd fight it out; but
Blew assured him he had no chance-the
document was all right and regular; and
think he was sharp enough to see that the
major was too good fellow not to make him
some compensation for his disappointment,
if he gave in decently.
At last, about midnight, we quieted down,
and let Marillier tell his story.
ssMy good cousin, the late Miss Corbett,
quarreled with me in due COURSE" he said.
9'the very week after the will was made.
Never mind how the dispute came about.
The new will and the new favorite-a very
distant cousin-Were both on the premises,
and was ready to go, when this precious
document was missed. Nothing would con-
vince Miss Corbett that had not purloined
it. Why I should do so ] can't conceive.
However, left. l had had some experience
of Congos doing's and the idea struck me
that soIue day might have the chance of
hunting him down and convicting him of
theft My chief object was to justify my
self with Miss Corbett, of course, and to
that straw of hope have clung till her death
seemed to have rendered it useless. When
found that she had died intestate then you
may guess that thought the chance too val
liable to miss, and have kept Carmody on
the alert ever since my arrival"
So the story was cleared, and my story
ends. People who like to hear the last of
everything may care to know that the major
(now Colonel of militia) has left the service,
and is forming himself into the realized ideal
of. the English squire and county member.
The said characters being In their perfection
inconsistent with old bachelorhood, and
Freda's unpaid legacy being still small
grievance with him, have a strong idea
that he intended to discarge all his obliga-
tions with one graceful act, and prevail on
her to accept Brockwood-plus the master.
l hope so at least Any more? The little
black prince-not much converted, I'm
afraid-shivered miserably through a few
months more of England, and then, at his
own earnest petition, was dispatched in care
of party of missionaries from Liverpool
back to his own sunny Africa, and-took
Congo with him.