Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1882-01-04

4
as we drove up. "One p changed from
the tall clock tower over our heads as VIZ
passed under the echoing archway that led
to the big hall. Brockwood was ram
bling old red sandstone pile snothered IL
ivy, looking gloomy and ghost-ridden by
daylight, but positively gruesome in the
small hours l was left by Parker, who
shook his head dolefully when 1 inquired
after his mistress, with the candle, in a
spacious vault of dining-room, surrounded
by grim portraits of dead and gone Cor.
belts, staring out white from their dingy
back grounds. The gloom and the stiffness
grew SO appalling that / fairly jumped
when the door suddenly opened, admitting
a truly awful apparition-a figure with dis.
hevelled black ringlets in shawl pattern
dressing gown, carrying bedroom candle
stick.
"Mr. Marillier, presume" I retained
sufficient composure to remark.
"Yes, I'm Mr. Marilier, Mics Corbett's
only nephew. I've not the pleasure of your
| acquaintance, sir, and at any other time
should be happy to make it; but for a
stranger to be here just now is-you must
excuse my saying it-a-a species of intru.
sion."
"Miss Corbett sent an imperative sum-
mons to my father" replied.
Most extraordinary A very extraor-
binary proceeding. am Miss Corbett's
natural guardian and protector; I'm her
nephew. She only took the name of Cor.
bett with the property. Dear, dear
Rhoda ought to have been here now a
lady can be of SO much use-such a pity to
l.. L. g. 81 -
of night And DIR. Burnaby refuses to
allow me to see my aunt. Rhoda should
have been here, but our baby-our ninth
is only four days old-or she should GER
tainly have been with her dear aunt. Dear,
dear, it's such pity to detain you here y
and SO on he maundered in querulous
monotone while / listened to the clock
Ginning the quarters, and wondered what
ever was going on.
Mr.. Jonathan Marillier had talked him
self to sleep in his armchair when my
father entered hastily.
"Tom, my boy, we want you at once, l"
and he hurried me off. "Most extraordi.
nary freak of the dear old lady's! She has
made new will leaving EGO, 600 to me !!
At least I'm to have the life-interest and
then it's to 60 to Freda She has taken a
fancy to her. l can't witness the will, Of
course, so we want you. The rest of the
money goes to the county charities, as
expected. Nothing to that man down
stairs"
We entered Miss Corbett's room. The
old lady sat upright in bed supported by
weeping Miss Patty. In the gloom could
Just discover a pair of very bright eyes
looking out of Ratchet face surrounded
by voluminous frillipgs. Parker and the
old housekeeper were present, and the doc.
tor. On the hearth several sheets of torn
blue paper smouldered-the previous will I
supposed. The new one with writing ma
terials was on table near the bed.
"Do just what she tells you" whispered
the doctor; "any discussion or excite
ment may be fatal. She is quite rational !;
I can testify to that"
sis that your son, Mr.. Rivers - asked
high, shakY voice from the bed. "Then
give me the pen. Quick p she gasped a
little" quick See here! p
Parker held the light while she made a
shaky but perfectly legible Annabella. :"
A tap came at the door; she threw the
pen down. "It's Jonathan Keep him
out He'll murder me ?" and then fell back
speechless.
1t was Jonathan Marillier. We hustled
him out with scant ceremony and returned
to the bed. DIR. 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 into loud
fit Of sobbing the unsigned will slipped
from the bed and fell at my feet, a useless
heap of waste-paper, and at that moment
Brockwood and all belonging to it passed
from the poor old lady's hands into the
grasp of Jonathan Marillier.
My father behaved splendidly. No al.
fusion to his loss ever passed his lips. He
officiated at the funeral, of course. went,
and found myself in the same carriage with
a 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 the meanest little
screw l ever met with. I hope he'll with
draw his business from us, that's all.
Think of his disputing the servants claims
to months wages, and recommending us
to send that poor little black prince to the
Union. He makes me sick, he does. l
can't stand him much longer. I must stay
down here till affairs are wound up, though
Lucky for me the Majors come"
Major Marillier, from Ireland ?"
Eyes didn't you see him? He's here,
man-monkey and all. His affectionate
cousin isn't overjoyed to have him, but he
seems cool hand, says he'll stay week,
and evidently doesn't mean to be turned
out before he chooses"
Blew went on to tell me that there had
been careful search made for 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 county," and as Jonathan quite in
tended starting in life as local magnate,
"as soon as Rhoda could travel" he was
amenable to reason.
He actually asked US to dinner one day
before Major Marillier departed. / should
say that the Major spent fair share of his
time at the rectory, and was deeply touched
at hearing of Freda's narrow escape of
heiress-ship.
We found the party to consist of Mr..
DI6W, the o1driiiieI Couelus, ouieciNcs, duu
Lord Allonby, big, jovial squire of the
old school The dinner was magnificent,
worthy of the display of family plate which
attended it. Parker waited-under pro.
test in fact it was only out of considera-
ton for Major Marillier that he conde-
scended to remain under the same roof
with Mr.. Jonathan, he informed me. 1t
was dismal ceremony. The cousins were
barely on speaking terms Blew looked
bored Allonby angry and the Major
grave and curiously absent.
Jonathan was captious 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 suddenly
asked.
Parker looked slightly confused, but re-
piled with dignity: can accident has hap.
pened to it, / believe, sir but I'll in.
quire."
What has become Of it, insist on
knowing !"
Parker had disappeared, but one of the
footmen replied
The monkey, sir"
"Ill not stand it !" broke out Jonathan.
"It's always that monkey whatever
happens Yesterday it was the sugar.
tongs-old family plate, heirlooms to-day
the dessert How any man can reconcile
IL with hie sense of what Is honest-a;nnl,,