Evening star., 1883-07-21

II lt Is your late master g..
He was her last hope.
The old man slowly took out and put on his
glasses. Miss Greathead, nervous and fright
ened, covered in the window seat. Mr. Ford
looked steadily into the fire. 1 fancy he saw
there short law report, headed tin the mat
ter ofCharles Henry Ford, gentleman. one etc."
or it might be more shortly, SIN the matter of a
solicitor AS for his clerk, can answer for
1t, that no heart in the room was going pit-a-
pat like his. How long Humphreys was pOring
over it! At last he spoke, and then, with tor
turing slOwneSs.
'Ah. that's his writing sure enough, God
bless him."
Then two of US drew such sigh of relief,
as. well am at loss for a sufficiently strong
metaphor, but at any rate 1t was very deep
sigh
Mr.. Ford murmured few words of condo
lence to the one lady, and of congratuiation to
the other; and he and his clerk got themselves
out OF the room as well as they could. The last
seen OF Miss Chilling. she was broodng over
the nfe, with face ever so much older, as it
seemed to US. than that which had shOne In the
dusk behind her futtering fan.
john Warrington, barrister-at-law, was sit
ting alone in my room next day when Thomas
came in.
"A lady to see you, sir" I was not greatly
'Show her In. Good gracious! How do YOU
do? Please to take a seat, Miss-ah, yes, Miss
Greathead. Very sad things have happened
since I saw you last" 1t was my former visi-
tor, the serjeant's niece.
Eyes. indeed; they are too fresh to be spoken
OF. have called to ask you q question. Mr.,
Warrington. and am sure may trust to your
discretion"
absolutely" assented, warmly.
please do not think it an odd one. have a
reason Doyou remember witnessingmy uncle's
signature about year agO?"
"Well, remember this much. that I did so
but don't think can tell you much about it:
as far as l can recall the matter Mrs Coll was
there. No one else, think, If can help you
any further, Twill think it OUT
'.Thank you," she said, with half-audible
gloved fingers. ''That is ALL think, that
wanted to ask. Now am here, l should like
to see my uncle's room 1Or-fOr the last time,
Mr.. Warrington, if you please"
most certainly. Nothing has been disturbed
since you were here" led the way into the
room; she stood in the middle and looked round
with steady, scrutinizing gaze.
~ Will leave you for moment" said !, con-
siderately, and, half-closing the door, stepped
Into my own room, and sat dOwn-to finish the
ing of the kind, but executed upon my hearth
rug silent dance Of triumph that would have
gained for me a lucrative engagement at the
Aquarium. After five minutes of this, I COM
posed my face and went back to the old gentle
mans room, stumbling carelessly over the man
as did so. She was still apparently standing ding
exactly where had left her. 1t cost me all nv
self-command to avoid glancing around the
room.
THANK you," she said, sweetly. II am 80
much Wo1; l36 Obliged to you am very glad came.
GU Will not mention my visit?"
'sYou may depend upon my reticence. said.
with bow, in which flatter myself that sin.
cere personal devotion and an overhowinp
appreciation Of her affection for her uncle an,
peared to mlngle.' The moment, however, that
L hnrn nr1fn 2 fh<oo oI,o
closed behind her, sent Thomas off with a note
and darted back into the serjeant's room.
Ihere stood In the middle. where nv visitor
mad stood, and looked around me- There was a
melancholy tidiness everywhere. Quickly 1
opened the drawers, cast my eye over them. felt
behind them, as expected, nothing. Then (
procured chair and candle, and with a care
and minuteness that would have done credit to
a FOuche, looked along the top Of row after
row OF the calf-bound books, that on three sides
sides had been examined before found what I
had expected. Low down between the fire.
place and one of the windows it was, almost
within reach Of the writing table. Then sat
down on the floor, put the candle beside me,
and took out my watch.
Seven minutes passed before Thomas re-
turned, and some one with him l did not
move. but sung out:
"Ford! here / an come in and shut the
door"
There ha, been a lady here, your boy tells
eyes; tie lady. She wished to see her uncle's
room r. 90, once more sweetly appropriate, wasn't
"Yes, yes!" --5r ",
"Weil out Of consideration tor her feel
''Bother her feclings"
~ left her alOne-and look here"
tic was on his knees In the twinkling of an
eye, ana had both OF his eyes glued on the top
OF the eleventh and twelfth volumes OF "Bevan's
reports OF the Court Of Chancery." The layer Of
dust, which elsewhere 10y In uniform smooth.
ness, was here disturbed
Tho Will Is In chancery. you may depend
upon It, said airily. At sign from me Ford
gingerly removed the books. and opened first
one anu shook it-nothlng 1 won't swear that
and shook it-nothiugl Then he got up and
use0 a naughty word. examined the volume
closely, with the same result. We locked ut
one another
'.NOtiing wronp with n,,r calculations 10
there!" "
NO. under the missing will she gets $4,000.
That WIKI disappears, that she may yet two-thirds
OF the whole estate under the first; when. 10. up
starts an intermediate villa devilish odd
WI wllGieavins IL. her only $500. and good, as far
as she knows, until the missing one turns up.
shes no fool; therefore, it will turn up
III She has not destroyed it!'
herr ~" s'0
Five minutes, at least and some one has
been at these books. Wait minute What
fools We have baen." The two volumes of
'Bevans reports" still lay upon the floor side
by side. l plunged my hand into the orihce
caused ty thefr absence from the Shelf I
grOped. FOrds eyes grew perceptibly big
ger. whats this:" cried, amt brought out q
paper.
"Right!" he shouted, az he hastily
glanced at it outside. "The lost will We've
Won"
- No 10, chance of five years With. eh, now,
Ford"
mo, but on my honor, at time things looked
awkward"
The 5000 were promptly paid to Miss Chill
ilS ana She has passed from our sight with
mat modest independence. She was a very
clever woman, aud most certainly will get on In
the world. AIN glad she never learned how she
was checkmated. Give Greathead Ia now the
wife OF ''onr Mr. Ford" cosy, pleasant resort
Is their house in Grenville place. So much the
business OF Ford: Ford Bittle comes to INV
Chambers in Hare Court that l am also thinking
Of setting up alittle double establishment at the
West End. Ford and sometimes chat over the
three Wills. and the last time l dlned
with him heard him Say, with a singular en-
phasls. to his guest On the eight:
you never forged q WILL now, suppose, Sir
JohnI'
>. II. slr" cried the alderman, with portentous