The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1883-01-04

and ] don t believe my uncle did, - he
replied. almost tiercely.
''Well, sir, YOU see your uncle did not
always consult you about his affairs,
returned Mr.. Crumber, rather disre-
spectfully. EAT any rate, he knew Mr..
Mayne, who prepared a will for him
shortly before he died"
How do you know demanded
Alfred Laking, too startled to conceal
his agitation.
Because I've seen it. I've not only
seen it, but I've read il. Your name
isn't mentioned in that will, Mr. LAX
ing" said the man, with a grin
"a very fine story" said Alfred
Iaking, with a forced laugh. pray,
how is it that Mr.. Wayne has never
written to inform me of the alleged
will?"
Because, in the first place, / doubt
if he is aware of the ColoneFs death;
but, if he is, he has probably forgotten
that the ColOncl left his viii with him,
for his memory isn't what it was, said
Mr.. CruTber, growing more famil' ar in
his manner rs lie remarked Alfred
] aking's white lips and agitated de-
meanOr "Bs some omission the will
is not indexed in the schedule of the
contents Of the strong room. L came
across it quite accidentally while search
ing for something else. Knowing the
name of the testatOr and all the cir
cumstances, the viii attract ID my atten-
ton. Otherwise, it would probably
have remained undisturbed for years"
Then do you mean to say that Mr.
Maync is unaware of the existence of
the will?'' said Alfred Laking, with in
voluntary eagerness.
Il believe every one in the Office has
forgotten it. | might purlOin that will
from the safe tomorrow and no one
would be the wise" returned Crumber,
| impressively.
it was impossible to ignore the in
sidious purpose of the mans visit.
! Evidently he was an INSCRIPTIONS
scoundrel, who desired to turn the dis
covery he made to account. Alfred
/ Laking looked at him with newly
awakened curiosity, and was by no
means favorably impress ed by hrs APP
/ Dcarauce The man had a fOrbidding
/ expire sion, and it suddenly occurred to
/ Mr.. Lakng that this was an impudent
/ attempt to extort money by false pre-
/ lenses.
| Il dom t believe word of what you
say" he cried, suddenly rising from
/ his seat and confronting the unwel-
come visitor Your story is 4 tissue
of falsehoods.'
Il was afraid you might think so,
sir, SO / ventured to bring the will with
me" said the man, slyly.
What. you have actually stolen it?'
cried Al red Laking.
u have it here, anyway returned
Crunber, cOO0ly as he produced a
document from his pocket. q can put
it back where I took it from within an
hour. OF course, it is no earthly use
TO me-"
LET me see it, said Alfred Laking,
in n hoarse voice, seating himself in his
chair again.
MIR. Crumber unfolded the document
and glanced at it, apparently rejecting
whether it would be wise to part with
il. But ter a pause he laid it on the
de-k, saying:
I'm treating you like a gentleman.
sir. You must promise to return it to
me-
Eyes, YES" said Alfred Laking,
4 stretching out his hand impatiently.
Some moments elapsed before the
agitated gentleman could compose him
self sufficiently to take in the contents
I Of the will. He first turned to the final
\ page which bore the signature of the
I testator and the aet6Ating witnesses.
/ So far as he could Judge the signatures
were genuine, and the document had
/ evidently been prepared several months
! ago, the edges of the paper being dis
/ cOlored and the ink faded. 1t was
/ dated a few weeks before Colonel LAX
ing's death, and was, therefore, in all
/ probability, the last will he had made.
/ When he came to read it carefully
/ Alfred laking's lingering hope that the
. document might be a forgery was quick
4 " dispelled. From internal evidence it
was undoubtedly genuine, the name of
. various persons and places being men
/ toned which no stranger could have
fabricated. The Colonel appeared to
have left his property to some distant
relatives, subject to few charitable
requests. His nephew's name was not
mentioned and an old military friend
was appointed executor.
Mr.. Alfred La6ing read the viii over
two or three times, keeping his face
concealed from Mr.. Crumber, who man
ifested u good deal OF Impotence. At
length he reused himself from his I'M
pleasant reflections. folded up the fatal
document and fixed a half-frightened,
half-deiiant gaze upon his visitor.
''WhIt do YOU propose to do with
this?' he inquired, nervOUsly.
Well, sir that depends upon you. -
replied Crumber. If you advise me to
put IL back and remind the Governor OF
IL well and good
Eut Alfred Laking did not hasten to
advise this straightforward course. He
kept silent for long time, idgetiug
nervouslv with the document he had
in his hand, and at length Crumber
spoke
- You see, sir, nobody knows of the
existence of the viii but you and me-
. ] Grrr,Y,,1frnrr tn fhTlyxr on hD
fire yonder, who would be the wiser?'
''How dare you sug- est such thing?''
cried Alfred La6ing, with show of viz
tuous Indignation. 1T would be a Grim
inal oilcnse
Il suppose you wouldn't split on
me. sir if | was to do il, suggested
Crumbcr, speaking almost in a whis-
per. 1.-The fact is, sir I'm thinking of
emigrating. l don't mind the risk. tive
me Il thousand pounds and the trick is
/ done
The indignant expression had died
out of Alfred Laking's face, leaving it
whitcr than ever, and he gazed at his
. companion with a kind of terrified fasci-
nation He was struck by the holiness
and simplicity of the course suggested,
which would edcctuallv relieve him from
. all fun Their anxiety. But he Shrank
. from being a party to a deliberate fraud
for fear OF the conse 4uences, and he was
rather staggered by the large amoun-
which Mr. Crumber demanded for his
services. Yet, when he reflected that
he would lose his whole fortune if the
will should be discovered, and also that
. Crumber might be tempted-if he re-
fused to accept his terms-tO sell his
secret to other interested parties, he re
. solved to close with him at once. 1t
- Ill 4
in desperation and half from sheer
FRIGHT. The will was DESTROYED. and