Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1885-09-18

single line from me to Miss Brown
/ am willing to let her have ample
damages without their being
awarded by court of law.
There was something so dia-
bolical about Mr.. Fox that the
young defender Of innocence found
il best to retire for the present,
leaving his opponent to rub his
hands triumphantly and build
castles in the air about the country
seat and the horses and carriages
he was going to buy in order to
dazzle Miss LaQucrtOn, whom he
felt justified in seriously thinking
about.
Miss Nellie had meanwhile been
informed of the conversation in
Mr.. Fox's Office, and with an in
dignant exclamation about "such
incredible untruths," she went to
fetch her letter box. There, sure
enough, were the letters, all in
little packets, neatly tied up with
blue and pink ribbons; but strange
to say, she could not see any ad-
dress; and, oil, heaven. when she
undid the packets they contained
nothing but papcr-all white paper
without single word upon t. The
willy lawyer had evidently deceived
her by some demoniacal trick.
The shock was so great to the
poor lOvesick lady that she had
scarcely the courage to show her
self when .he will was to be read (;
but she rallied at last, hoping
against hope that it might still be
in her favor, when she could treat
with scorn and contempt her faith
less lover and his paltry damages.
Mr.. Fox, although he considered
himself already master of the
house and everything IN il, felt
considerably excited on the morn
ing of the day appointed for the
reading Of the will, and when Mr..
Plumley, as chief executor, sat
down and slowly got his spectaclcs
out, his junior partner became so
faint aud his heart nuttered to
such an extent that hc fancIed all
his hopes and beautiful castles in
the air weIe crumtling away as in
a dream. Why did not his old
friend at once read the document?
Why did he make the suspense so
unbearably long? Why did he
continue to stare first at the paper
in his hand, then at those around
him, and then once more at the
paper, without utterlng a single
word and then at last, whcn he
did speak, why did he stammcr ::
"l-l do not know ; see nothing
in fact, it is the same paper, but
Could it bc ?" Yes, sure enough,
there was the paper on which the
will had been made ont, but there
was nothing upon it now, it was
merely a blank, white sheet .
"Good hcavcns"with what ink
did you write ont that with - burst
ont at last Mr.. Fox.
"With what ink = repeated the
old gentleman, Indignantly, "with
your ink. As ! found the lnksiand
up STAIRS dry, and the old lady WAS
in such a dreadful hurry, ! rushed
down myself TO get some, and see
ing your bag in the hall, took
from it the little inkStand which
you always carry about.
Mr.. Fox turned deadly pale, and
without saying another word van
ished like his ink, before anybody
had time to ask for an explanation.
When the rest Of the company had
composed themselves again, Mr..
Plumley said:
81 know that the tcstatriX has
destroyed all former wills, SO that
there is none at all IN existence,
and, by law, therefore, the property
Will 90 to the next kin. | know,
also, that Mrs. John had no rela-
tives whatever except Miss Lizzie
Roberts. She is consequently sole
hcrcss."