Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1882-05-13

at what must have been the roofing
up of his most cherished belief in his
sisters child, had proved in his weak
state, to be more than he could bear.
The doctor was sent for, and at
the end of an hour John Hendricks
was so far recovered that he whis-
pered my name, and |, sitting down
beside him, heard him in a whisper
say: !.
"Draw up my will quickly. A
just one"
Il don't think he will ever recov-
er sufficiently to sign it," said the
doctor. she has driven it too late,
Mr.. Brown
The doctor was right, for my poor
old friend never recovered his senses
but quietly breathed his last few
hours later.
/ suppose it was from a feeling OF
Importance, perhaps more from an
unwillingness to wound poor sam
and his wife 10y letting them hear
the unjust will, that | did not hurry
myself to produce it, though | don't
think they anticipated much. But
all at once, to my utter astonish-
ment, Phil rose, coughed TO cleai
his husky voice, and said quietly:
81 presume you all know how
much l have of late been in my un-
cle's confidence, ST. you VIII not be
surprised that, as | was by his wish
a solicitor, he should have intrusted
to me the making OF his will. :"
| am man of the world, but for
the moment | was knocked off my
balance. Then / was about TO ex-
claim, as | saw him bring forth the
document, "Why, you scoundrel,
you have forged will ~
Fortunately for Sam, | remained
quiet, and sat with my old friends
genuine will buttoned up beneath
my coat, while, with the calmest
audacity, the rascal read out the
document that, as lawyer, he had
cleyerly forged.
/ saw it all now. He had asked
me if had his uncle's will, and |
had said no. He must have search
ed the old mans paper and found
none, and feeling safe he had forged
a will in his own favor and cleverly
too, making one about which there
could be no dispute: for he had pro-
vided legacies TO friends, and the
residue, which proved to be over one
hundred thousand pounds in equal
moieties to his nephews, Samuel and
Philip Hemeley.
l sat and laughed to myself as |
heard this piece of forgery, which
was all in due form, the mans cum
ming in contenting himself with
half, knowing that if the will were
otherwise, it might have been dis
puted; when now it would be taken
as perfection; and there, ALI the time
| sat, with the genuine will in my
breast, for which he was cutting
himself by this act, while L rejoiced
to think how the villain was being
forced, as it were by fate, to do jus
tice to his brother.
What would you have done-giv-
Ell the scoundrel into custody as a
forger, made a terrible upset, and
caused no end of trouble about the
property ? Perhaps you would. [
did not, for | went home, after sat-
isfying myself that the late will was
in due form, and destroyed the real
one.
Yes, | know what you will say
that it was felonious act, and that
| ought to have been struck off the
rolls. Perhaps | ought to have been
but | pondered on the fact, that, in
stead Of the whole hundred thousand
pounds going to villain who would
stoop to forge, half of it went to a
truly deserving man, so | left the
punishment to higher powers than
those Of man and kept my secret,
which is a secret still, for ] have
only given fictitious names.