San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1882-08-24

S" AZ NoSS' All hnh VI you
is your promise not to marry him till
he has sworn he will never touch cards
again. Give me your hand, child, and
say the words after me-"
Effie obeyed him, more calmly than
might have been expected in her ner-
vous state.
God bless you! You have made my
last hours almost happy" he said, as he
let her 60.
As Effie quilted the room, sobbing.
Pauline was about to join her, when
she heard the sick man mutter-
81 am not sure, after all, that will
would not make everything safer"
Then he ordered the attendant to go
and bring Mr.. Scribe.
"Can he make will?" wondered
Pauline. "I'll wait and see."
To her amazement, she heard the
sick man debating will to his lawyer,
in which he left everything he possessed
to Fife, absolutely. Mr.. Scribe re-
monstrated, but it was of no use.
81 know what I am about" the old
man said, and would hear nothing.
The will duly sealed and witnessed,
he told the lawyer to put it in his desk,
which stood within view.
"Is it safe here?" Mr.. Scribe asked,
II do not see any key"
Who would touch it? 1t would ben
eft no one but the Van Wirts, and they
are not thieves, whatever else they may
be. Besides, I may want to destroy it
yet. Go now, please, and tell them to
send Louis to me-"
On going to seek Fife, Pauline found
her so nervous and i'll that the house
keeper had made her lie down, and was
now sitting with her. Pauline took
the housekeepers by her friends bed
side, and in a short time Effie fell
asleep. As she sat there watching the
white face of the girl she pretended to
love, her mind was filed with wicked
and envious thoughts. Why must Ellie,
who was rich already, have the Van
Writ property? And then she envied
her the handsome lover, with whom
she was herself half in love.
"But of course he will have to marry
her now" she thought bitterly.
Suddenly the silence was broken by
tho sonnd of some commotion in the
house. She sat and listened few mo-
ments. Then she arose, and gliding
down stairs, slipped through the open
door and passed swiftly along the YER
anda until she came to the window
where she had liste ned before. One
glance at the bed told her that all was
over. A sudden fear seized her. She
was about to flee the spot, when her
eyes fell upon the desk in which she
had seen the will placed.
"I wonder if it is there YETI" she
thought.
No one was in the room, but the door
WAS open and she could hear voices.
st am sure can reach it from here.
I should know it at glance" she
unused.
An evil thought crossed her mind.
What if she took it2 The lawyer
would think Mr.. Van Writ had de-
stroyed it; and besides, that will IN hei
hands might help her to win Louis al
ter all. At the thought she snatched
the document, and hiding it in the
folds of her dress. softly retraced hel
stems to the room in which her friend
still slept.
Ethen Van Writ had been dead about
m onth, and his grandson mad taken
possession Of his estate. There were
minors about will, bat when it could
not be found, Mr.. Scribe concluded
that the old man had destroyed it, ant
he refused to tell who was mentioned II
| it.
Pauline was still visiting Effie, though
her welcome had grown somewhat cold
both on Efie's and her mothers part
I,ouis Van Writ came to their house a
often as formerly, but it was APPARENT!
TO see Pauline. He scarcely spoke t.
Efie except in the most formal manner
ard though the gentle girl strove t.