New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-06-24
w at family hos he left. Mr.. Ford p

nice girl, has lived with him for year. Except
distant cousin, who acted MS kind OF hoase-
keeper, she was his only connection
Was his niece a great favorite Of his =
YES OF late, very much so. Her mother and the
SERGEANT did not get on year ago the mother died,
and Mr.. Greathead, WAC was a good man at bottom,
took the girl home. don't mind telling you. that
the missing will leaves her nearly everything
WHAT cried, in huge astonishment' leaves
Yes; and very natural, too. Why notr
Up TO this moment had had, since the lawyer
opened his business to me- but one idea. which
was that on the night ON which the old man died,
his niece, this very nice girl, had come 10 his
chambers searched for the will. and. for her own
advantage, abstracted and destroyed it; Had done
and fooled me afterward. But how about this
theory nowi Cui bono.
'I.can't make it Outp said, slowly nursing my
chin.
is the niece. Mlss1Miss Greathead. of very
2nSaGtc spirit at At al likely to burn the will to
'She's not 20 mad as to throw away seventy
thousand pounds, # you mean that. Good heavens,
sir, what suggested such q thing to you
told him all that had occurred on the Saturday
night, Just as have related il above. If my read
ers feel a 1.-THE of the wonder he expressed, l am
satisfied with my powers Of description.
If you had not told me face to face, sir, would
not have believed syllable of it he said empuat-
ically, not a syablep
two could you procure me a glimpse OF Miss
Greathead. or of her photography
Our Mr.. Ford actually blushed. We'll, could.
Perhaps it would be more satisfactory il you saw
herself
Not st ALL What in the world made the man
Then | Think have-somew here. if I've not
left il, the very thing you want. Oh yes, here it
is And after fumblipg in all bis other pockets
from his breast-pocket Mr.. lord little red in the
face, produced a neat little Russia leather case
He opened this and held the portrait within for my
inspection.
nrifi a. a
youthful, wholly good face.
Nose little. Just little, too retrousse; muir
INJURED.
'Ehp shutting 1t mp with an angry snap.
But. however, that is not the lady who was oc
cuped here on Saturday night. That Is one point
clear Mr.. Ford. Now, who would profit by the de-
stracrion of ths will Is any earlier one in exist
encei
Yes. There is u former will discovered in the
Serieant's desk at home. Ii was made before Five
Il mean Miss Greathead-came TO live with him.
January, 1879
1T leaves two-thirds of the estate 70 the cousin
who then kept house Tor him.
A tall pale, dark-eyed woman. decidedly good
Yes. Ky Jove. see She was your visitor, and
with instructive canton gave elves name or
rather description. ne cribG.
And has destroyed the last Will
Il don't know 50 much about that be answered.
slowly wipIng. his forehead. she did not barn IT
here a. you say the fire was ont. She might Ceep
~ 70 see how things would turn out. II gives her
G5, 900 too
'Gh. does itf Wait moment. Does II really :
Well, then. We can get it back by n bold stroke.
I'm with you in this Mr. ord. II gets interesting.
The first will which must be proved If the last be
not found, gives the mouse keeping cousin two
thirds about G5O, 600 say the lst5r and missing
will gives her $4,000 But suppose one were-only
suPpose-oue were TO turn up between tho two and
give her nothing, OBJ
No chanCeH said the lawyer i don think
qHlte follow you
i can explain in two words. Yor sec
But as the two wCrds heightened themselves to
two hundred as two words always do need not
20 through suy more OF our conversation It's DRIFT
will be guessed BY tue sagaclous reader.
At parting. It's rather q serious thing. you
know said the lawyer Tuefnlly.
Yes answered mischievously; it's five years y
We were assembled in the DEAD mans dying room
in Gloucester Road TO hear the Will read. IL NAV
seem odd that J should have been present at tins
merely family matter, but the fact is that l. John
Warrington of tie Inner Temple, barTister at-law
was not. A silent and humble gentleman, with a
beard and glasses with also seedy coat and boots
TO match and habit Of taking snui snTreptIt Dusy
vet with n certain amount Of ottentati0n, was pres
ent. Bot he merely Mr.. Ford clerk, ana u ms
N,nra and face were not familiar sights the Offices
of Messrs Ford Ford and Bitte, why Mr.. Ford had
right &c engage a special Gleri- for business Of 20
confidential "A nature az this. There were not many
pre cert The tall, gracious. almost qucen,v woman
sitting near the fire with her back TO the light aud
a large black fan in her hand 10 Miss Chilling
third cousin TO the deceased, as the newspapers
would saw The fair nervous grl by the table -
fnshe. a little a. she shakes HANDS win our Mr.
Ford In the background are old humphreys, the
i have two wills here which think ! ought TO
read saws the lawyer, softly, taking his seat at the
end OF the table. The first is dated 1879 the
second about a year back third Will was made
within the last Elk months but regret 10 saw that
our poor friend must have destroyed II, Intending
of this have nj doubt, to make another IN us
place 10 the midst of life, We cre-yes indeed!
Having uttered this in low but clear tones he
takes from mel mean from tia clerk, who pro
duces them from bis black bag. some papers, and
proceeds in more buslness-like tones 90 read the
last will and testament of Jonathan Greathead OF
Gloucester Road, in he Comfy ~ .Mlddese1 and
Of Hare Court. the Temple III The City OF London
barTister at-law.
.The purport is this said he after the usual fond
of yer6lage had passed iOr the most part harm
Iesslv over our heads. that the bnlk OF the tesla
tors estate would 90 20 his cousin, Miss ChilliDg
and a share VERY much smaller, but still consider
able to Miss Greatbead In one respect very
much regret that my task docs not end win thls
will
ment and fresh current OF cOnveyancers English
mucb shorter than the last, however, Is let loose
unop u.s. One person In the room, can safely
assert feels on the rack, and Miss Chlllings fan
never stays but hutters, DOW slowly, now with n
su lden impetus. And no wonder; her fortune OF
$40 900 is swept away as by a stroke OF the pen
and a miserable $500 all that is given her instead
OF the residue after payment OF certain legaces TO
the servants clerks ana others, the whole is given
10 Miss Greatbead. When he ceased, the woman
by the fire graDdly TO her full height.
This is not the final arrangement our friend IN
tended TO make: 80 much know II is a sad lesson
of the danger of pTOcl estimation even In tho
wiseyt of u.s. Thus Mr.. Ford. in q low, apologize
tone busy with the paper
ION, Edith, am very sorryn Miss Greathead
had riseD too ana PM her hand upon INC eIder
Noman's shoulder The sevants were filing ont.
Miss Chilling pushed the other aside, not cruelty,
but as if she were IN the way.
The will show me the winp she said, in hoarse
low tones holding out one white hand impera-
tiyelv Mr. Ford handed ii TO her without word.
She took II 10 the window and examined u care
fuIly. Wonderful AZ under the circumstances
was her self-COmmand. one could hear the paper
rustle in her shaking hands. In moment she
faced us. ,.,
lyon did not draw this WHY
NO, Mr.. Ford answered. neTvously, he took, /
-. nIl,nr cd yicn nLa II e.linp Mllnehses are