San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1889-12-16

with more than usual vigor, he was star
tied by loud crash. A clerk had so
placed ladder that one leg was imme-
diately in front of the door. He had
mounted it SO as to gain access to a row
of high shelves surrounding the Office,
on which were kept green wooden boxes,
the figures of past years, the names of
clients and of estates whose affairs the
Office had in charge being lettered in
white on them
When Holbrook had hastily swung
open the door it had struck leg of the
ladder, nearly topping over the. clerk
and causing him to drop one of the boxes
to the floor, upon which it fell so heavily
as to burst open.
This was the crash which had startled
him. Several of the clerks sprang to
save the box, and as they lifted it up it
fell apart, scattering its contents.
What papers are they?" asked Hol-
brook, viewing the wreck he had caused.
"Old ones, should judge" replied
Clark, the managing clerk, bending over
to pick one of the packages up. "They
refer to Sampson, Hurcomb & Co., a
concern that has been out of existence
these ten years. Their affairs are all
closed up"
Among the papers was a small tin box
"What is that" asked Holbrook.
~ don't know" said the clerk, picking
it up. Look for the key" finding it
locked and the key not in the lock.
The Office boy paved over the papers,
but could find none.
Holbrook took the box and turned it
around and around. On one end he saw
the letters &c. P"
"What can it be-" he said, struck by
the initials. Bring something to break
it OPEN
He carried it into his private room,
and there they brought him hammer
and broken dining knife.
With these he broke open the box and
found it filled with papers.
The first one he lifted from the box
was note long since overdue.
1t was drawn to the order of Charles
Pierson and signed "A. p. Duncan"
st is as | supposed" he muttered
1T belonged to Pierson and escaped the
boys when his papers were returned. 1t
must have been misplaced in that box. "
He lifted out other papers. They were
all overdue notes, drawn to Persons
order and mostly signed by Duncan.
Holbrook did not know and did not
care who Duncan was.
He turned the cont ants of the box out
on his desk.
At the bottom was large blue envel-
ope tied with red tape, and sealed with
red wax back and front over the tape.
The tape was wound around the mar
row and then the long way, so that it
could not be opened without the seals
being broken.
On the back was inscribed:
private papers of Charles Pierson.
Not to be opened unless upon the writ
ten consent of Charles Pierson, or after
his death. and then only by Judge Hark-
ner."
"But Judge Harkner died before he
did," said Holbrook, talking to himself.
He balanced it in his hand.
Should he open it? Who was to stop
him, and who was there to say nay:
And was he not the executor of Judge
Harkner?
He broke the seals. To open the en-
velope he was compelled to destroy it.
1t had been fastened with glue. The en-,
velope was one of the kind lined with
muslin
He tore it open and took out written
paper. 1t was sheet of legal cap writ,
ten on both sides.
The contents of the sheet had been
penned by the same hand as had written
the inscription.
1t was signed Charles Person"