Custer chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, Black Hills, D.T. [S.D.]) 1880-1890, 1889-12-14

Thaye no choice bat Il accept the fact that
the deceased did, by mean of tattooing,
carried out by his order, legally execute
his true last will In favor of his next OF
kin, Eustace ii. Meeson, upon the shoul-
ders Of Augusta Smithers, on or about the
ed day of December, 1885. This being so,
/ pronounce for the will ~proponnded by
the plaintiff, and there will be a grant as
prayed"
with costs, my Lordy' asked James,
rising.
mo; I am not inclined to go that length.
This litigation has arisen through the tes-
tator's own act, aud the estate must bear
the burden"
"If your Lordship pleases," said James,
and sat down.
"Mr. Short said the Judge, clearing
his throat, 81 do not often speak in such a
sense, but / do feel called upon TO compli-
ment you upon the way in which you
have, single-handed, conducted this case
in some ways one Of the ~strangest and
most important that has ever come before
me-haying for your opponents so formid-
able an array of learned gentlemen. The
! performance would have been creditable to
anybody of greater experience and longer
years; as it is, / believe 1t TO be unpre-
| cedented.n
James turned color, bowed, and sat
down. knowing that he was a made man,
and that it would be his own fault IL his
| future career at the bar was not now one
OF almost unexampled prosperity.
| CHAPTER XXIL-sT. GEORGES, HANOVER
SQUARE.
The court broke up in confusion, and
| Augusta, now that the strain was over,
| noticed with amusement that the dark ar
| ray of learned counsel who had been fight
ing with all their strength to win the case
of their clients did not seem TO be particu-
larry distressed at the reverse that they
had suffered, but chatted away gayly as
they tied up their papers and scraps OF red
tape. She did not, perhaps, quite realize
that, having lone their best and earned
their little fees, they did not feel called on
TO be heart-broken because the court de-
clined 10 take the view they were paid TO
support. But il was a very different mat
| ter with Messrs. Addison and Roscoe, who
had just seen two millions of money slip
from their avaricious grasp. They were
rich men already; but that fact did not
gild the pill, for the possession Of money
does not detract from the desire for the
acquisition Of more. Mr.. Addison was
purple with fury, and Mr.. Roscoe hid his
saturnine face in his hands and groaned.
Just then the Attorney-General rose, and
seeing James Short coming forward 10
speak TO his clients, stopped him and shook
hands with him warmly.
NI ~ mo oonnratulafa vat nny .gaar fall
low" he said. II never saw a case better
done. 1t was a perfect pleasure to me,
and l am very glad that the Judge thought
fit TO compliment you-a most unusual
thing, by the way. / can only say that l
hope that l may have the pleasure OF hay-
ing you as my junior sometimes in the
future. BY the way, IL You have no other
engagement wish that you would call
round at my chambers tomorrow about
twelve"
Mr.. Addison, who was close by, over
heard this little speech, and a new light
broke upon him. With a bound he
plunged between James and the Attorney
General.
II see what ii is now" he said, in a voice
shaking with wrath. I've been soldi /
am q victim TO collision. You've had five
hundred Of my money, confound you'll" he
shouted, almost shaking his fist in the
face of his learned and dignifed adviser:
"and now you are congratulating this
man." and he pointed his finger at James.
"You nave been bribed to betray me, sir.
You are a rascal! yes, a ~rascal!'
At this point the learned Attorney-Gen-
eral. forgetting his learning and the ex-
ceeding augustness Of his position, actual
ly reverted to those first principles of hui
man nature of which the Judge had spok-
en-, and doubled his fist. Indeed, had not
Mr.. News, utterly aghast at such a sight,
rushed up and dragged his Infatuated
client back, there is no knowing what
scandalous thing might not have hap
pened.
But somehow he was got rid OF. and
everybody melted away, leaving the ush-
ers to go round and collect the blotting-
paper and pens which strewed the empty
court.
And now. ~good-people," said Lady
Holmhurst, Il think that the best thing
that we can 10 is all to go home and rest
before dinner. / ordered it at seven, and
it is half-past five. / hope that you viii
come, too, Mr.. Short, and bring your
brother with you, for l am sure that you,
both of you, deserve your dinner, IL ever
anybody did"
And SO they all went, and a very jolly
dinner they had, as well they might. AT
last, however, 1t came to an epd, and the
legal twins departed, beaming like stars
with happiness and champagne. And then
Lady Holmhurst departed also, and left
Eustace and Augusta alone.
Life is a queer thing" said Eustace;
'here this morning / was a publishers
reader at ESQ n year; and now, tonight.
IL this verdict holds. it seems that / am
one of the wealthiest men in England"
"Yes, dear" said Augusta, land with
ell the world at your feet, for life is full
of opportunities to the rich. You have a
great future before you, Eustace; / really
am ashamed to marry so rich a man.
"Mydarling," he said, putting his arm
round her, whatever I have / owe to you.
Do you know there is only one thing that
/ fear about all this money, IL it really
comes to us; and that is that you will be
30 taken up with what pleasure-seeking
people call social duties, and the distribu-
ton Of it, that you will give up your writ
ing. So many women are like that. What
ever ability they nave seems to vanish ut
terly away upon their w~edding-day. They
say afterwards that they have no time, but
] often think that it is because they do not