The Arkansaw traveler., 1888-09-08

cried, turning to look at him with ill., concealed exultation, "here is a paper Il think, willi"
 A moment before the veins of his forehead had been swollen, his face dark with the rush of blood. His anger died down at sight of the packet with strange abruptness. He regained his control, and a moment saw him pale and calm, all show of resent ment confined to & wicked gleam in his eye. "A will !" he repeated, with certain kind of dignity, though the hand he stretched out to take the en- velope shook. "Indeed, then it is my place to examine it. I am the heir at-law, and I am within my rights, sir"
 feared that he was going to put the parcel into his pocket and dismiss me, and l was considering what course I should take in that event, when in- stead he carried the envelope to the table by the window, and tore off the cover without ceremony. "It is not in your handwriting" were his first words; and he looked st me with distrust that was almost superstitious. No doubt my sudden entrance, my ominous talk and my discovery seemed to him to savor of the devil.
 "No," I replied, unmoved, ''I told your lordship that I had written will at the late Lord Wetherby's dic- tation. did not say-for how cou d I know?-that it was this one."
 "Ahw He hastily smoothed the sheets and ran his eyes over the con- tents. When he reached the last page there was dark scowl on his face, and he stood while staring at the sigma lures; not now reading, 1 think, but collecting his thoughts. "You know the provisions of this?" he presently burst forth with violence, dashing the back of his hand against the paper. "I say, sir, you know the provisions of this?"
 "I did not, my lord," I answered. Nor did I.
 "The unjust provisions of this will," he repeated, passing over my negative as if it had not been uttered. "Fifty thousand pounds, to a woman wno had not penny when she married his sonl Aye, and the interest on another 100000 pounds for her lifel Why, it is prodigious income, an abnormal income-for 8 womanl And out of whose pocket is it to come? Out of mine, every silver of itl It is mon- strous! I say it isl How am to keep up the title on the income left to me, should like to know?"
 l marveled. 1 rememb bered how rich he was. I could not refrain from sug- gesting that he had still remaining all the real'property. "And," added, q understood, my lord, that the tes- tator's personality was sworn under 100000 pounds.
 "You talk nonsense," he snarled. "Look at the legacies! Five thou sand here and a thousand there, and hundreds like berries on bush! It is fortune, decent fortune, clean -frittered awayl A barren title is all that there will be left to me-"
 What was he going to do? His face was gloomy, his hands were twitch- ing. "Who are the witnesses, my lord?" asked in low voice.
 So low-for under certain condi- tions tone conveys much, very much that he shot 8 stealthy glance toward the door before he answered, "John Williams"
 Blind" replied in the same tone.
 civilian Williams"
 "He is dead. He was Mir. Alfred's valet. l remember reading in the newspaper that he was with his mas- ter and was killed by the Indians at the same time."
 "True. remember that that was the case," he answered huskily, "and the handwriting is Lord Wetherby's." l assented. Then for fully minute we were silent while he bent over the will, and stood behind him looking down at him with thoughts in my mind which he could as little fathom as could the senseless wood upon which it leaned. Yet I, too, mistook him. thought him, to be plain, a scoundrel and-well, so he was-but mean one. "What is to be done?" he muttered, speaking rather to him. self than to me.
 I answered softly: "I am a poor man, my lord" while inwardly was quoting "quem Dues vult perdere."
 My words startled him. He an- swered hurriedly: "Just so! just sol So shall l be when this cursed paper takes effect. A very poor manl A hundred and fifty thousand gone at a blowi But there, she shall have iti She shall have every penny of it; only" he concluded slowly, "I do not sec what difference one day more will make"
 l followed his downcast eyes, which moved from the will before him to the agreement for the lease of the house; and I did see what difference a day xux. .x.lA I---