The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1883-08-17

my inspection. l..
"Welli" he uttered, impatiently,
while with a critical eye / was exam
ining very pretty, very youthful,
wholly good face.
"Nose a little-just a little-too re.
trousse," / murmured,
"Eh 7" shutting it up with an angry
snap.
"But, however, that is not the lady
who was occupied here on Saturday
night. That is one point clear, Mr..
Ford. Now, who would profit by the
destruction of this will ?" Is an earlier
one in existence
Eyes There is former will discov.
cred in the Sergeants desk at home.
1t was made before Olive-I mean
Miss Greathead-came TO live with
him"
ats date I"
January, 1870"
"Well ?"
"It leaves two-thirds of the estate to
the cousin who then kept house for
him"
"a tall, pale, dark-eyed woman, de.
cidedly good-looking!"
eyes. By Jove, / see She was
your visitor, and with instructive eau.
ton gave Olives name, or rather de-
scription," he cried
"And has destroyed the last will 7"
81 don't know 80 much about that, "
he answered, slowly wiping his fore.
head. "She did not burn it here, as
you say the fire was out. She might
keep it to see how things would turn
out. 1t gives her $4,000, too"
"Ah, does it' Wait a moment
Does it really7 Well, then, we can
get it back by bold stroke. I'm
with you in this, Mr.. Ford. 1t gets
interesting, The first will, which
must de proved if the last be not found,
gives the housekeeping cousin two
thirds, about $4,000 say: the later
and missing will gives her $4,000
But suppose one were-only suppose
one were to turn up between the two
give her nothing, eh7"
"No chance! said the lawyer; 81
don't think l quite follow you"
81 can explain in two words. You
see
But as the words heightened them
selves TO 200, as two words always do
l need not go through any more OF
our conversation. Its drift will be
guessed by the sagacious reader.
AT parting, ''It's rather a serious
thing, you know" said the lawyer
ruefully.
"Yes," l answered, mischievously
SITS five years."
We were assembled in the dead
mans house in Glouchester road tc
hear the will read 1t may seem ode
that should have been present at this
merely family matter, but the fact is
that l, John Warrington, of the Inner
Temple, barrrister-at law, was not. A
silent and humble gentleman, with 8
beard and glasses, with also seedy
coat to match, and a habit of taking
snuff surreptitiously, yet with certain
amount of ostentation, was present
But he was merely Mr.. Ford's clerk,
and if his figure and face were no
familiar sights in the offices of Messrs
Ford, Ford & Bittle, why. Mr.. Fort
had a right to engage special clerl
for business of 80 confidential a natur,
as this. There were not many present
The tall, gracious, almost queenly wo
man sitting near the fire with her bacl
to the light and large black fan il
her hand is Miss Chilling, 'third cou
sin to the deceased" as the newspa
pers would say. The fair, nervous
girl by the table is Miss Olive Great
head; observe that her pale fac
tlushes little as she shakes hand
with ''our Mr.. Ford In the back
ground are old Humphreys, the clerk
and several servants.
81 have two wills here which thin
l ought to read,' says the lawyer
softly, taking his seat at the end of tn
table. "The first is dated 1879, tn
second about year back. A thir
will was made within the last 81
months, but regret to say that on
poor friend must have destroyed it, il
tending, of this ! have no doubt, t
make another in its place. In th
midst of life we are-yes, indeed! !!
Having uttered this in low but clea
tones, he takes from me-I mean frol
the clerk, who produces them from h
black bag-some papers, and proceed
in more business-like tones to read th
"last will and testament of Jonatha
Greathead, of Gloucester road, in tn
county of Middlesex, and of Hal
Court, the Temple, in the city of Lol
don, barrister-at-law."
| 'The purpurt is this" said he, aft,
the usual flood of verbiage had passe
for the most part harmlessly-ov
our heads, shat the bulk of the test
tors estate would go to his cousi
Miss Chilling, and a share, very muC
, smaller but still considerable, to Mi
Greathead. In one respect / vel
much regret that my task does not er
with this will"
} Then we all listen to another la
will and testament, and fresh curre
of conveyancers English, much short
than the last, however, is let loo
upon us. One person in the room,
, can safely assert, feels on the rae
and Miss Chillings fan never sta
: but t1utters, now slowly, now with
sudden impetus. And no wond,
Her fortune of f45,000 is swept aw
as by a stroke Of the pen, and a mis-,
able $500 all that is given her instea
: OF the residue, after payment of C,
. tain legacies to the servants, cler
and others, the whole is given to M
, Greathead, When he ceased the W
! man by the fire rose grandly to b
, full height.
"rhis is not the final arrangement I
a friend intended to make; so mucl
know it is sad lesson of the dang
a of procrastination even in the wisest
4 us Thus Mr.. Ford, in low, apo
= getic tone, busy with the paper.
"Oh, Edith, | am very sorry I" NJ
o Greathead had risen, too, and put
a hand upon the elder woman's should
;, The servants were filing out, NJ
a L -