The Portland daily press., 1883-07-21

Inougn this l was not quite sure about,
among the drawers of his private writing
table. 'UmphF' well, was never on very
intimate terms 18th the old gentleman, who
was thirty years my senior, and 1t Is no par
ticular business of mine. It's all right, or
will come SO in the end doubtless. And !
put on my boots and coat and went down to
chambers and discussed the old gentleman s
death, with the due amount of sympathy,
with his clerk, and forwarded a letter Of
coincidence to the family, of whom I knew
nothing, applied to the treasurer of the In
ner Temple to take ON the Serjeant's cham
bers, and did my usual work and lived my
usual life for four days. Then something
happened. Thomas, my boy, showed in to
me ''our Mr.. Ford" of Ford, Ford & Bittle,
OF Staples Inn, whom | knew to be the late
Serjeanl's solicitors. "a new CLIENT" sal
to myself, with much excitement. With a
Judicious mixture of courtesy and dignity |
waved him to seat; which was all thrown
away.
snow perhaps you can help me, Mr.. Wa :
rington," he said after few preliminary ob
servations which sufficiently enlightened me.
"Have you any idea where our poor friend is
likely to have put his will?'
mot the slightest. We were not on yery
intimate terms, though the best of friends.
Have you searched his cupboard and
books@'
Carefully. Yet feel sure that it is here.
The day he signed it he said to me, Here
you'll find it when It's wanted, Ford and
he tapped the table, so that took it for
granted he meant to lock it up there.n
What family has he left, Mr.. Ford?'
lie was never married. His niece re-
Warkaby nice girl, has lived with him for a
year, Except distant cousin, We acted as
kind of housekeeper, she was his only
connection
WAS his niece great favorite of his?n
Yes OF late, very much so. Her other
and the Serjeant did not get onSa year ago
the mother died, and Mr.. Greathead, who
was good man at bottom, took the girl
home. don't mind telling you that the
missing will leaves her nearly everything" I"
'sWnat!' l cried, in huge astonshment,
Leaves her nearly eyerything?'
Yes; and very natural, toa. Why not?n
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 Every nice
girl had come TO his chambers, searched
for the will, and, for her own advantage.
distracted and DESTROYED it. Had done that.
and had, into the bargain, startled me first
and fooled me afterward. But how about
this theory now? Cui bono
Il can't make il outT' l said, slowly nurs-
ing my chin.
''Nor can p cried the other, briskly.
us the niece, Miss-Miss Greathead, of a
very Quixotic spirit9 at all likely to burn the
will TO benefit some one else?'
She's not so mad as TO throw away sew
enty thousand pounds, if you mean that.
Good heavens, sir, what suggested such a
thing to you?''
told him all that had occurred on the
Saturday night, just as have related it
above. If my readers feel 1.-THE of the
wonder he expressed | am satisfied with nv
powers of description.
'lf you had not told me face to face. sir.
| would not have believed syllable of itr'
ne said emphatically, ''not syllabler'
Gould you"-after had thought min
ute or two-''could you procure me glimpse
OF Miss Greathead, or of her Photographic" Z
Our Mr.. Ford actually blushed .--a.Wssi. r
could. Perhaps it would be more satisfacfo-
ry if YOU saw herselfsr
"Not at ALL" w n the world made
the man fidget soSa
ssfhen l thin ge- somewbere If
We hot ieIt u, iery thing you want.
On, yes. mere And after fumbling in
an MS otner rom his breast pocket
Mr.. Ford, lit< in the face, produced a
neat little Russ Gather cese. He opened
this and held the portrait within for my in
spection. ~
.'.Well?'" he uttered impatiently, while
with CRITICAL eye was examining very
pre,Iy, very youthful, wholly good face.
Nose little, just little. too retrousse, y
mnrmured.
,ah?' shutting it up with an angry snap.
But, however, that is not the lady who
Was occupied here on Saturday night That
lis one point clear, Mr.. Ford. Now. who
would profit by the destruction of this will?
Is there any earlier one in existence?''
Yes. There is former will discovered
in the Serjeant's desk at home. 1t was
made before Oive-I mean Miss Greathead
came to live with him."
"its date?'
January, 1S79."
ut leaves two-thirds of the estate to the
cousin whcthen kept house for him.
"A tall, pale, dark-eyed woman, decidedly
good-looking?''
'sYes. BY Jove, seel She was your
visitor, and, with instructive caution, gave
Olives name, or rather description he
cried.
And has destroyed the last willp''
Il don't know so much about that he
answered, slowly wiping his forehead, ssShe
did not burn i; here, as you say the fire was
out. She might keep it TO see how things
III.
sAh, does il? Wait moment. Does 1t
really? Well, then, we can get it back by a
bold stroke. I'm with you in this Mr.. Ford,
1t gets Interesting. The first will. which
must be proved if the last be not found.
gives the housekeeping cousin two-thirds,
about 100000 say; the later and missing will
gives her $4,000. But suppose one were
only suppose-One were to turn up between
the two and give her nothing, eh?''
NJ o7aa \ A..
think quite follow you.''
Il can explain in two words. You see,
Blu as the two words heightened them
selves to Two hundred, as two words ALWAYS
do, need not go through any more of our
conversation. It's drift will be guessed by
the sagacious reader.
At parting, sits rather serious thing.
You know" said the lawyer ruefully.
Yes" | answered mischievously: "Irs
five years."
We were assembled in the dead mans
dying room i'll Gloucester Road TO hear the
will read. 1t may seem odd that l should
have been present at this merely family
matter, but the fact is that l, John War
rington. OF the Inner Temple, barrister-at-
law, was not. A silent and humble gen
tleman, with beard and glasses, with also
seedy coat and boots to match, and a habit
OF taking snuff surreptitously vet with a
certain amount OF Ostentation, was present.
Bat he was merely Mr. Ford's clerk, and If
his figure and face were not familiar sights
In the offices of Messrs. Ford, Ford aud Bit
tie, why Mr.. Ford had right to engage A
special clerk for business Of so confidential a
nature as this. There were not many pres
ent. The tall, gracious, almost queenly
woman sitting near the fire with her back
to the light and large black fan in her
hand is Miss Chilling, third cousin to the
deceased as the newspapers wou.1 say.
The fair nervons girl by the table is Miss
Olive Greathead: observe that her pale face
fusbes little as she shakes hands with
our Mr.. Ford In the background are old
Humphreys, the clerk, and several servants.
II have two wills here which / think
ought to read" says the lawyer, softly, TAX
ing his seat at the end of the table. "The
first is dated 1879, the second about a wear
back. A third will was made within the
last six months, but l regret to say that our
poor friend must have destroyed it, intend
ing, OF this have no doubt, to make anoth-
er in its place. In the midst of life, we are
yes, indeed -
Having uttered this in low but clear tones
he takes from mel mean from the clerk.
who produces them from his black bag.
some papers, and proceeds in more business
like tones to read the last will and testament
Of Jonathan Greathead, of Gloucester Road,