The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1883-07-16
"pm--pm littls out Of sorts,n replied
the parson, nervously. GIVE had a good

'Tm--pm little out Of Sorts" replied
the parson, nervously. sTve had good
deal to worry me lately How are your It
must be dozen years since we metz
"Oh, Pm pretty fit, thank you," returned
Marmaduke, seating himself in a chair,
which groaned beneath his weight. I've
come up for the cattle show, and to see the
lawyers. BY the by, sorry to hear you've
lost your gunner. | meant to have written to
offer to come to the funeral but | forgot;
and, as never set eyes on him, it didn't
much matter, / SUPPOSE"
"Oh, nov' murmured Rev. Francis, alb
sently.
''rhe reason called to-day was this" ex-
planned Marmaduke. 'You are your faith
er's executor, l believer
YES" replied the parson, with a pre-
monitory shudder.
II happened to meet a man the other day
who knew my gunner very well--us" to be
in bis regiment" proceeded Marmaduke,
'and he told me that the gunner came In
| for big legacy just before he died. He
| didn't know how much, but several thou.
| Now, its an odd circumstance that, though
| the old boy died within a month or two of
receiving the money, he didn't leave a cent.
| and no one ever knew what became of the
| legacy"
"What has that to do with me?'' gasped
| Rev. Francis, endeavoring to look uncon-
| cerned.
Nothing. of course; only I thought
should like to ask you whether, in going
Through your fathers papers, you came
across any clew--"
certainly moi. Nothing of the kind,n in.
terrnpted Rev. Francis.
- fancled. perhaps you might, that's
all, said Marmaduke, carelessly. sit would
be satisfaction to fird out what he did
| with the mnnav hanauca n r,aIyoc ,na ~
| easy to thing that thou or two belonging
| to me may be kicking about waiting to be
claimed. had notion he might have de-
| posted 1t somewhere or inve ted it, and that
| your governor might have known about T.
| That's fine old cabinet you've got there"
he added, turning in his chair.
Rey. Francis was Suddenly struck dumb
with terror and apprehension. Wheu Mar
maduke Toogood walked into the room, he
instinctiyely guessed he had called in con-
| nection with the money, and the surmise
| had turned out correct. 1t now occurred to
| him that his cousin was acting upon DELHI
| crate suspicion, and had even an idea of the
| existence of the |. 0. u. Certainly, his ref
| eIence to the cabinet after his previous re-
| marks, was ominous, and it really seemed
as though he had been put upon the right
| scent.
It's the very thing want" Marmaduke
| said, after pause, during which he eyed it
critically. Are you disposed to part with
| it, Francisco
''No most decidedly not. returned Rev.
| Francis, almost fiercely.
| III give you what you like for it--in rea-
SOP, of couree," said Marmaduke, with what
| seemed strange insistance. s'My wife is
| mad on old oak furniture, and / promised
| her cabinet like that Would you let me
see what it's like inside?''
haxra - - ...tf.. N,
| Francis.
well you won't mind my bringing fell
| low to look at it, viii you?'' said Marina
duke, Suddenly shifting his position end fac
| ing his cousin
| Rev. Francis was so startled at meeting
his gaze that he acquiescea without refec-
| ton, and then hastily began to talk about
other matters. Marnaduke Toogood re-
NAMED chattering for few minutes, and
| then, having dntifully paid his respects to
| DIS cousins wife, took his departure But
| his visit threw Rev. Francis into fever of
! excitement and apprehension. He felt per-
| feety convinced that Marmaduke suspected
his secret, and even knew where the l. o. u
| was to be found. How he could possibly
have obtained the information it mattered
| not, for Rev. Francis could derive no conso-
iatien from the extreme improbability of the
| secret having oozed out. He was certain
that his cousins desire to possess the cabinet
| arose from his knowing what it contained,
and he had dreadful foreboding that the
person he proposed to bring to see it would
turn out TO be either lawyer or detective
officer, introduced for the purpose of I'M
masking him.
Rev. Francis did not get wink of sleep
that night, and his brain seemed on fire.
| The temptation to burn the ;ell-tale docu-s
ment, n thus destroy all evide 81
! secrt3 so strong upon him.
moSy ! : % it. But he could ling
/ hir 81 it what he regarded as a