Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1886-10-30

have heard OF cases OF man makHs
sham willn M
@Not through firm like Tape & Parch-
ment," cried Mr. Retainer, quite scandalized.
"What can have put such notion into your
headF
Nothing, excent that the testator lives in
Camden Town-Hilidrop Crescent l know
Hilldrop Crescent slightly" added Augustus
hastily They are comparatively small
houses, and the neighborhood is not fashion
able
Mr.. Retainer looked rather amused. He
leaned back in his chair moment and re-
gartted Augustus through his spectacles as
though impressed by his shrewdness, Au-
gustus did not bear the scrutiny very well,
for reasons that may he imagined
when you are oder, Mr.. Nav, you will
lenrn that it is not always safe to judge by
appearances, he said, with smile.
HThen you think, sir"
ADO not alarm YOURSELF interrupted Mr..
Retainer, turning impatiently to his work.
M Tape explained to me the circum-
stances OF the case. 1t is all right"
Mr. Retainer dismissed Augustus with
nod as he finished spanking and the enter
prising student left the room with his doubts
completely set at rest 1t seemed that Mr..
Retainer had private reasons for knowing
that the will was trustworthy, and he was
not a man given to testing. nor to speaking
without proper means of knowledge Au-
gustus, therefore, resolved upon the spot to
obtain On introduction TO Mr.. John Smith
without moments delay.
This did not prove more difficult than he
had anticipated; in fact, the details of his
conquest over the susceptible heart OF Miss
Arabella Smith are too commonplace to
need describing Suffice it to say that Au-
gustus' fascinating manner. his. fashionable
attire, and his performances upon the Ger
man flute combined to render him irresist,
ible.
The Smiths turned out to be a respectable
family, without the least pretention to gen.
| til.ty 1t was evident that Augusta. was
the nearest approach to gentleman they
had ever been acquainted with, and their
qualification at his polite attentions was I'M
disguised. No doubt the fact that he very
much exaggerated the amount of his small
fortune assisted to facilitate his courtship
Old Mr. Smith, from the outset, seemed con
tent with the prospect of securing him for a
son-in-law; and when Augustus, after
comparatively short acquaintance, avowed
his passion for Miss Arabella Smith, her
father gave his consent to the engagement
without hesitation
Augustus was naturally elated by the sue
cess. though the naive vulgarity of Miss
Arabells rather distressed him. But she
seemed good honest sort of girl-not
beautiful, certainly, yet fairly presentable
Compared with the solid fact that she was
| an heiress, her trifling defects weighed very
lightly with Augustus The crumpled rose
leaf which disturbed his happiness was due
10 the ominous behavior of rival, Mr..
Theodore Brittleboae, whose attentions,
until Augustus had appeared upon the
| scene, seemed to have been favorably re-
ceived by Miss Arabela
Mr.. Theodore Brittlebone was a quaint
and gloomy youth, whose avocatien was
something in the hardware line Bitter
| enmity not unnaturally arose between him
and Augustus, which resulted in Mr. Brittle
bone being requested by old Mr. Smith to
discontinue his visits when Miss Arabella's
engagement was announced. Mr. Brittle
bone accordingly withdrew his society, but
he haunted the house Ike n shadow He
waylaid Augustus IN the streets, accostinC
him with mock politeness, and accusing
him with trifiing with Miss Arabeila's affec-
tons Occasionally his conduct became
violent, and he once actually challenged
Augustus to fight 1t out ike a man beneath
a lamp post
The unruly behavior and persistent perse-
cution began to prey upon the nerves of
Augustus, who. in addition to being little
man, was not addicted to pugilism. He was
frtli conscious fhnt ha x-oc No oh
for the bellicose Mr. Brittleboue, and he
was seriously apprehensve for his personal
safety But what worried him even more
was that his rival cast doubts upon the
,xistence OF old Mr. Smiths reputed wealth.
Apparently Mr.. Brittlehone, rendered keen
eyed by jealousy, OWNED the real cause Of
Augustus devotion At all events, he never
wearied of insinua;ing that he was &C
quainted with Mr.. John Smiths real cir
cumstances in a tone and manner which
were painfully suggestive. Augustus fore
bore to discuss the subject with him,
although these dark hints male him very
uneasy. He was quite unable to fathom his
| future father-in-law, who declined to be in
weighed into conversation about his affairs
| But it was evident that this reticence was
constitutional. and was not assume for the
| occasion Old Mr.. Smith was habItually
| taciturn AMI secretive. AM in this respect
| his conduct was quite in keepin. with
mi,erly propen5ites Au u'tus consoed
| himself with the reflection that none could
know better than himself the true state of
| the case, AMI endeavoret to stihe his mis-
givings by Attribut!ng Mr.. Brittlebone's
| nnuendoes to envy and Ignorance ming led
with Jealousy.
Although Augustus duly announced his
| engagement TO his friends. he did not for
| some time mention it to his fellow students
at Mr.. Setainer's chambers He instinc-
lively guessed that Mr.. Retainer would sus-
| pecU how the event came about, and there
| fore, to avoid unpleasantness, he deemed it
| prudent 10 hold his tongue But after
awhile the news leaked out, as all news will I;
and when Augu'tus was, one morning, re-
| Questej to go into Mr.. Retainer's room, he
had presentiment of what was in store
Good morning, Mr.. Nav" said Mr. Re-
tainer, very stifIiy II have sent for you
to ask if it be true, as l hear, that you are
engaged to be marriedT
Yes, sir; it is true" said Augustus de-
family.
| OF course, ] have nothing whatever to
| do with your private affairs" resumed Mr.
Retainer, ''but ii has occurred to me that |
nay be, in measure, innocently response.
Die for what has taken place.
81 don't understand" said Augustus, red
iening.
1.-THE young lady Is Miss Smith, l nm
| sold-the daughter Of Mr. John Smith, OF
dilldrop Crescent, Camden Town, said Mr..
Retainer meaningly.
THAT is correct" admitted Augu ,tus
Whose will wah prepared in my chambers
few months b1cz, said Mr.. Retainer with
| unpleasant emphasis.
at was an accidental circumstance"
nurmured Augustus, avoiding Mr.. Re
sainer's gaze.
"Of course. If thought for one moment
that any one of my chambers could be
capable of such gross breach of faith, as
well as of professional etiquette, as to take
advantage of professional secrets | would
request him TO put on his hat and leave this
moment"
The effect of this speech upon Augustus
was that he felt inclined to sneak out of the
| room then and there. 1t was evident that