The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1883-01-12

Pauline was about to join her, when
she heard the sick man .mutter-
81 am not sure, after all, that a
will would not make everything
safer.'' ....
Then be ordered the attendant to
go and bring Mr.. Scribe.
"Can he make a, will % wondered
Pauline. II will wait and see.''
To her amazement she heard the
sick man debating a will to his law
yer. in which he left everything he
possessed to Efie, absolutely. Mr..
Scribe demonstrated, but it was of
no use.
81 know what I am about the old
man said, and would hear nothing,
The will duly sealed and witnessed,
he told the lawyer to put it in his
desk, which stood within view.
CTS it safe here?' Mr.. Scribe asked,
II do not see any key"
"Who would touch it? 1t would
benefit no one but the Van Wirts,
and they are not thieves, whatever
else they may be. Besides. 1 may
want to destroy it yet. Go now,
please, and tell them to send Louis to
me-" -
On going to seek Efie. Pauline
found her so nervous and i'll that the
housekeeper had made her lie down,
and was now sitting with her. Pau
line took the housekeeper's place
by her friends bedside, and In a
short time Effie fell asleep. As she
sat there watching the white face Of
the girl she pretended to love, her
mind was filed with wicked and en-
vious thoughts. Why must Effie
who was rich already, have the Van
Writ property? And then she en-
We'd her the handsome lover, with
whom sac was herself half in love.
sBut if course he will have to
marry her now," she thought bitterly
Suddenly the silence was broken
by the sound of some commotion in
the house. She sat and listened a
few moments. Then she arose; and
gliding down stairs, slipped through
the open door and passed swiftly
along the veranda until she came &c
the window where she had listened
before. One glance at the bed told
her that all was over. A sudden
fear seized her. She was about tc
flee the spot, when her eyes fell up
on the desk in which she had seen the
will placed.
81 wonder if it is there yet % shs
thought.
No ore was in the room, but The
door was open and she could hea'
voices.
81 am sure I can reach it from here
1 should know it at glance" sh'
mused. :j =:
An evil thought crossed her mind
what if she took. it? The lawye
would think Mr.. Van Writ had de-
stroyed it; ard besides, that will il
her hands mi ght help her to VIII
Louis after all. At the thought sh'
snatched the document, and hiding
it in the folds of her dress, softl,
traced her steps to the room in whicl
her friend still slept.
Ethan Van Writ had been deat
| about a month, and the grandson
had taken possession of his estate
There were rumors about a will, bu
when it could not be found, MI
Scribe concluded that the old mai
had destroyed it, and he refused t.
tell who was mentioned in it.
Pauline was still visiting Effie
though her welcome had grow
somewhat cold, both on Efie's an
her mothers part, Louis Van VIII
came to their house as often as for
merly, but it was apparently to Sc
Pauline. He scarcely spoke to Eff
except in the most formal manner
and though the gentle girl strove t
feel the same toward her false friene
she could not quite.
There was certain rejected suite
of Efie's, Robert Lester, whom sh
had never liked, but who, in spite {
her coldness, seemed to be alway
beside her now, and more than ono
she had fancied that Pauline ha
contrived to fasten him upon her ft
the evening.
"I must bring matters to. a cris
soon," thought Pauline one night, /:
she wreathed her face with smile
and pretended not to perceive Mr.
Works coldness toward her.
Presently, when Louis called, 81
was watching him, and drew him
once into the garden.