The Sunday tatler and Jersey City express. (Jersey City, N.J.) 1883-1886, 1886-02-14

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was almost at her heels when she suddenly
turned into public house, when, so close
had followed her, heard the attendant
say in answer TO an inquiry by her, Mum
Der thirteen, ma'am, aud / saw her disap-
pear into the back premises I immedi-
4 ately followed, heard the door Of thirteen
shut. and glancing at the numbers quietly
| opened number twelve, and after giving
| an order for some slight refreshment to
4 the attendant who had followed me, took
| o hasty look around the room.
/ I found it was divided from the next
| one only BY q wooden partition which did
not reach the ceiling, and that, by remain
| ing perfectly quiet, | could hear that q
| whispered conversation was being carried
on in the next room.
| The entrance of the attendant with my
order disturbed my Investigations but on
| his departure and regardless of the old
saying that listeners seldom hear anything
to their ewns advantage, did my best to
make out the conversation. / distinguished
the voices to be those of two men and one
woman The latter at once recognized,
or at least my imagination led me to be-
lieve it to be the voice of the person who
had called on me year ago to make her
will. The voice of one of the men was
strange to me but after the discovery /
had already made, / was not greatly sur
prised at recognizing the voice of the other
man to be that of Simpson, tie legatee in
the will The whole thing flashed upon
me OF once, and saw that had been the
Innocent machinery for carrying through
clever and daring piece of imposture. |
however listened attentiyely to the CONVEX
satioB, in order to fathom the whole affair.
The first sentence made out came from
the stranger
81 told you young Sinclair was the very
man to do the work for you. These young
lawyers never ask any questions as long as
they get the business.
swell, well, said Simpson, "that is all
right now. But the present question is
what is to be done in the way of. hurrying
him up with the realization of the estate
without exciting suspicion2 The sooner We
get away from this the better. I am glad
that young fellow Howard didn't ask any
questions. But one things certain-we
must get the old woman away from this
Immediately, or she's sure to get recognized.
She's been keeping pretty close lately +; but |
dare say she's getting tired of it. Aren't |
you, old lady
"Indeed," was the reply, 81 would be |
glad to get away from this place tomorrow,
if could. I'm sure / only wish you could |
have been content with half of the estate |
with Mr.. Edward, instead Of burning the |
will, when you found it was to be divided |
between you and him, and getting me to do |
what I did. I'm sure it's wonder my |
mistress doesn't rise from her grave to |
denounce us all.
ssKeep that can't for another occasion,
old woman it's no use getting religious
now. But I'll tell you what-I've got an
idea"
Here the cow rsation got SO low that |
could not catch more than an occasional,
word, and what that idea was Inever found |
out, as he never got the chance to try it on
me, for I had heard enough to know that
daring conspirators 1 had ever come across,
who had duped me and made me, though
the chief actor in the con-
spiracy.
NY first idea was to lock the door Of the
room they were in, and 60 for help but IS
that was likely to cause disturbance,
determined to slip out and trust to being
back in time for their arrest As luck |
would have it, nearly the first man I mot
outside was detective whom had known
very well in connection with some criminal
trials in which had been engaged. A few
words explained my purpose, and signalit q
to the nearest policeman, he placed him at
the door of the shop, and both of us walked
in. He nodded Familiarity to tbs bartender,
and leaning over the counter, whispered in
his ear. Inc shopman started, and gave
low whistle.
you'll do it as quietly as you can, for
the credit of the house"
ssOf course, said the detective. ''Show
us in.''
n - ...t. - -. :, -, 49,. So: IL ~ !
room, with our back to the door, the de-
tectiye dangling q pair of bracelets aud
nodding smiiingy around the room. The
woman tainted. We had no difficulty in |
securing the men and in half an hour we
had them safely in Jail.
Before their trial came on we had worke d
out the whole story. The woman wh1 had
called on me and signed the will was Mrs..
Simpson, Miss Towards housekeeper, the |
mother of Simpson, in whose favor the
will was made and the other man was I
lawyers clerk who had suggested the FEAST
bility Of such q scheme. The fact of Miss l
Towards self-confnement and my own
had made the plot q success,
but for my accidental recognition of the |
housekeeper. Each of the prisoners of /
fered to turn Queens evidence, but as we i
had no difficulty in proving the case, this
was refused, and they were sentenced to |
various periods of penal servitude. / had |
then the pleasure of handing over the |
estate to the rightful heir, young Edward |
Howard. who Notwithstanding that had |
nearly been the means of depriying him Of |
his inheritance, made me his agent.
The estate turned out to be much larger |
than had at first thought, as succeeded |
in proving that large number of invest |
ments in Simpsons name really belonged |
to Miss Howard and the management OF SO
large property fairly Put me on my feet
as regards business have had good
many clients since then /; but have often
thought that my Yelled Client was my best
enc, as she was the means of giving nae my
first lesson in prudence, and my fret start
in life.