The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1882-06-29


MI and buried, and all the dear
SGS five hundred friends were in @
SClS state of establishment and con
sternation over his will, for il
named his pet and protege, Marian
Gray, his sole heiress, while his
nephew, Robert Rushford, was not
even mentioned.
''There is some strange mist axe, -
Mr. Wilde, the lawyer, said.
"There was a later will than this
drawn up after Mr.. Robert came
home, and leaving the bulk of the
property to him. In it Miss Gray
was generously remembered, too;
but this one, which makes her
heiress, was made while Mr.. Rush
ford was ignorant that his nephew
had escaped. supposed that this
will had long since been destroyed
what caused him to suppose
SOP" was Robert Rushford's' very
natural question; to which his law
yer replied that his client had told
him-on the occasion of his draw
ing up the second will-that it was
his intention to put the first one in
fire.
"And l thought he had done so.
/ never doubted but that this was
the latest will. 1t seems, however,
that we have got hold of the wrong
document; the other is still in exis-
tence somewhere. We will have q
thorough search for it"
"And until you find it, or if you
fail to find it, this one. stands"
said Robert Rushford quietly, stat
ing a fact which the lawyer was
forced to admit.
Meantime the heiress by the first
will and legatee by the second had
sat quiet and still. She listened,
with her eyes cast down, but spoke
no word.
While her friends and acquain-
tances discussed her-not always
quite inaudibly-"What 4 very
awkward and peculiar position for
Miss Gray! What an opportunity
if the second will did not turn up
to show her magnanimity and
sense of honor, by making over the
fortune to young Rushford! Doubt
less, in such case, he would be
most generous to her, and really,
you know, to a girl of Miss Gray's
birth and former position, a few
thousands would be a fortune
What was her position? A daugh-
ter to old Rushford's housekeeper,
my dear, brought up for a govern
ess, or something-came on a visit
to her mother while the old man
was sick, and nursed him SO ten
derby and skllfully that he could
not be persuaded to part with her
again. She had been as daughter
in the house ever since, and if
young Rushford had never turned
up-if he had really been lost at sea,
as was so long supposed0why, you
know, rich old men we're eccentric,
and there would have been nothing
very astonishing in his making her
his heiress after all. But now-it
would be terrible Utter ruin TO
the young mans prospects in life.
OF course his engagement with
Florence Huntly would be broken
Off Florence was not fit for a poor
mans wife-a lovel y-and he is so
my dear, it will break
his heart to lose her"
And so on, the stream of gossip
fowed-some portions of it finding
its way to Marian's ears-until the
searching party returned, and an
nounced that, as yet, they had not
found the second will.
There was a marked increase of
respect toward Miss Gray after
this intelligence, and some would
have congratulated her, but she
checked them.
1T is too early yet" she said,
with a sad smile.
But the gossips agreed that her
chances were favorable.
And if she really is the heiress,
my dear, why of couse it's dreadful
for the young man-terrible-but
Stll--
Public opinion was disposed to be
kind TO the heiress in any case.
'She is not over eager-she bears
her honors meekly-shouldn't won
der if she turns the fortue over to
the nephew alter air. was the com
ment of many after they left the
house and went their several ways.
They would have Judged differently
ifthey could have seen her tn at
night, locked securely in her own
room, the blinds and shutters
closed, no eyes save those of Heav-
en- upon her. She unfastened her
dress and drew n sealed and folded
parchment from her bosom-it was
the missing will
She gazed upon it long and earn
estly.
miserable document" she whis-
pered. "If / should give you 70
him now what ruin you would work
me. Yes, you would rob me of al
prize, and place it in the keeping
Of another! And viii he lose Miss