Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-08-11

envelope
window. and tore on the cover without ceremony.
"It 10 not In your handwriting" were his nrsr
words; and he looked at me with q distrust that
entrance my ominous talk and my discovery
seemed 70 him 70 SAVIOR Of the devil.
that had RslsU un%1ysa n tod your ordship
pys dctation. l did not say-for how could
knowTmthat Il was this one"
his eyes over their contents. When he reached
the last page there was dark scowl on his face,
ne $1,000 awnie staring at the signatures; not
You know the provisions Of thisfn he presently
burst forth with violence, dashing the back Of his
nsnvs seanst tns paper II say, sir, you know the
II do not, my lord" answered. Nor dbl
Ine unjust provisions OF this will ~ he repeated
uttered. Fifty thousand pounds to a woman who
nsa not penny when she married his sonI Aye
1Iu tne interest on another 100000 for her LIE
why, IL Is prodig1ous income, an abnormal In
come-for womanl And out Of whose pocket is
II TO conner Out OF mine, every silver of It! 1t Is
monstrous! say II Isl How am to keep up the
known" ~ w
l marveled. 1 remembered how rich he was.
Ing ali the real property. "And." added ~ un-
aerstand, my lord, that the testators personally
was sworn under 100000
You talk nonsense" he snarled. "Look at the
legaciesi Five thousand here and a thousand
there and hundreds like berries on a bush! 1t is
barren title Is all that will be left to me-"
What was he going to dor His face was gloomy.
ns MS aanus were twitehing "who are the wit
50 low-for under certain conditions tone con-
veys much. very much-that lie shot q stealthy
g1a1ce toward the door before he answered, "John
..amiil = replied in the same low tone.
he Is cead. He was Mr. Alfred's valet. re-
member reading in the newspapers that he was
wsn MS MASTER and was killed by the Indians at
sTrue I remannh ar thai chat rros cha ooso , !, n
answered husktly," and the handwriting is Lord
Wetneroy's.' l assented. Then for fully min
and stood behind HIM looking down at him with
thoughts In my mind which he could as little
iathom as could the senseless wood upon which
leaned yet TOO mlstook him. l thought him,
10 De plain, a scoundrei; and-wen SO he was
OUT mean one. "What Is TO be done?n he NUT
tefea AZ length, speaking rather to himself than
| answered softly: 81 am poor man, my lord"
Wnlie inWardly was quoting "Quem Deus vult
My words startled him. He answered hurrtedly ::
Just so! just so! SO shall be when this cursed
paper takes effect; very poor man! A hundred
anu n1ty thousand gone at blow! But there
she shall have 1t! She shall have every penny OF
II; only" he concluded slowly, 81 do not See what
Inference one more day will make
followed his downcast eyes which moved from
the VIII before him 10 the agreement for the lease
Vi the mouse; and did see what difference day
would make. saw, and understood and wondered
he had not the courage 70 suppress the will, but
II ne could gain slight advantage by withholding
~ lor lew hours he had mind TO do that Mrs
Wlgram, rich woman, would no longer let the
house; she would be under no compulsion to do SO,
and my lord would lose cheap residence as well
a. MS E1oO 900. To the latter loss he could re-
sign hiInseH with a sigh, but he could not bear to
iorego the petty gain for which he had schemed
Il think understand, my lord" replied.
'Ot course" he resumed nervously, ''you must
be rewarded for making this discovery. win see
that IL Is so. You may depend upon me. / will
mention the case to Mrs Wigram, and-and In
THAT Will not do" said firmly. ''Ir that be all
had better go TO Mrs. Wigram at once and claim
my reward q day earlier"
He grew very red IN the face at receiving this
word,p he said
answered, politely, but plainly
"How dare you speak so to me?" his lordship
cried. You are an impertinent fellow! But
"a hundred pounds"
"a hundred pounds for a mere days delay,
winch VIII do no one any HARM"
Except Mrs. Wigram,r | rstorted dryly
'.Cone Lord Whetherby, this lease is worth a
thousand year TO you. Mrs. Wigram as you
wen KNOW, WIN WIN not voluntarily let the house
you must pay me. That is the long and short OF
"You are an impertinent fellow, he repeated.
$50 you have said before, my lord"
lexpected him TO burst into a furious passion
put suppose there was something or power In
my tone beyond The mere defiance which the words
expressed for instead OF doing so, he eyed me with
a thoughtful, malevolent gaze and paused 10 con-
SIuci. lou are at fOOlt a. DugEan'Sn he said.
slowly. "how was IL that they did not search tins
cupboard, with which you were acquainteu?r
shrugged my shoulders. 81 have not been in
the house since Lord Wetherby died" said any
employers did not consult me when the papers he
LETT were examined"
"You are not a member OF the firm?r
NO, am not, answered was thinking that
so FAR as knew those respectable gentlemen, no
one OF them would have helped my lord in this for
ten times hundred pounds. My lord! FaughI
laid on the table little pile OF notes. .sThere Is
your money, he said, counting them over with re-
luctant hngera BE good enough TO put the will
and envelope back into the cupboard. Tomorrow
You Will oolige me by rediscoyering it-you can
manage that no dOubt-and giving Information at
once TO MesSrs. Duggan Poole, or Mrs. Wigram
as you please. Now he continued, when / had
obeyed him, will you be kind enough 10 ask the
servants TO tell Mrs. Wigram that am waiting?"
There was slight noise behind US. 81 am here ~
said some one. am sure that we both jumped at
the sound, Tor though did not look back, knew
the voice was Mrs Wigrams, and that she was In
the room. II have come 70 tell you, LORD Wether-
by she went on, "that have an engagement
from home at twelve Do understand however,
that you are ready? II SO, will call In Mrs. WILL
Jams"
'Tne papers are ready for signature" the peer
answered, Detraying some confusion, ''and am
ready 10 sign. shall be glad to have the matter
settled as agreed" Then he turned TO me, where
had fallen back, as seemed becoming, to the end
OF the room, and said, BE good enough TO ring the
bell II Mrs. Wigram permits It,"
AS moved 10 tue fireplace to do 80 was con-
sclOus that the lady was regarding me with fai mt
surprise. But when had regained my position and
looked toward her, she was standing near the
window gazing steadily out into the square, an
expression Of disdain rendered by face and figure
Shall confess that 1t was Joy to rle to see her
fair head so high, and TO read even In the outline
or her girliSh form contempt which ], and only,
knew " be so justly based? For myself, leaned
against the edge OF the screen by the door, and
perhaps my BOO lay heavily on my heart. AS for
him, he ndgeled with his papers, although they
were all IN order, and was vlslOly impatient TO
get his bit OF knavery accomplished. Oh he was
worthy man! And Weishman!
perhaps" he presently suggested, for the sake
OF saying something, while your servants coming
you will read the agreement, Mrs. Wigram. 1t Is
very short, and as you know, your solicitors have
already SCENT in the draft"
She bowed ana took the paper negligently. She
read some way down the first sheet with a smile,
nall Careless half contemptuous. Then saw her
stop-she had turned her back TO the window to
obtain more highland dwell ON a particular SEN
tence. i saw-God! i had forgotten the hand
wrlting-l saw her gray eyes grow large and fear
leap into them as She grasped the paper with her
other hand and stepped nearer TO the peers side.
DO you hear? Tell me quickly?"
He was nervous on his own account, wrapt In his
own piece or Schemlng, and ObtuSe.
81 wrote it," he said, with maddening CON-
placency. He put up his glasses and glanced at
the top OF the page she held out TO him. a"
quite right and faithful copy. You do not
think"
"Ihink! Think! No, no! This l mean. Who
wrote thiSf" she cried, awe in her face, and a
suppnant tone, strange, as addressed to that man,
In her voice.
He was COMPOUNDED by her vehemence, as well
as hampered by his own evil conscience.
'The Clerk, Mrs Wigram, the clerk" he said
petuiantly, still In his fog or self1shneSS. "The
CLERK from Nessrs Duggan Poole's"