Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1889-01-03

I
had requested her 10 seal up the let,
ters. His intentiaA wis 10 abandor
her iR easA Of his falling heir to The
properly; and ten 10 one he would seek
10 marry that chit Alics Hayes, tc
whom he had been paying attention Of
late Miss Judd hated Alice and her
mother When the latter had mortallt
offended her ANnt tclllfeF by pfciof-
ring 10 share poverty with the man
she loved TO remaining under her rooi
rs q pampered slave and pensioner on
her bounty, Miss Judd had stepped In
and secured that place for herself, hhd
had ever since, by means Of false re.
ports on either side, managed to keep
the aunt and niece apart. Mrs Hayes
was now widow and Very poor; and
Alice-d woman can easily discover
what man can not about love affairs.
Alice was, as Miss Judd knew. engaged
to that impecunious young doctor who
would probably have 20 wait n dezer
years before he could afotd t6 marry.
In any event thank goodness. MIR.
Peck could never get Alice. As for the
rest, Miss Judd set her teeth and
clenched her hands ihvoluntarilFi Oh,
II she eotA be pdvenged
She was aroused by great knocking
proceeding from Mrs. tolliier's room.
Hurrying down, she found it long past
four o'clock, and the room full ~
smoke from a burning log which had
rolled oil the andirOns TO the hearth.
Mrs Jollifer was furious. She had no
doubt but that Melissa had purpcsply
shut her ap there 10 be suffocatcd And
her anger and resentment reached its
climax when Miss Judd, nftef hhrried-
ly preparing the Cruel, presented it
seasoned with tansy vinegar instead
OF wine! Melissa -ungrateful, treach-
erous Melissa-was trying TO poison
herl And without a moments delay
the old lady ordered her to 60 at once
for MIR. Steele; so that by night n now
will reposcd under lock and key in
Mrs Jollifer's dcsk. Then the old
ledy Went 10 bed; and, whether from
the effects Of her agitation or the tansy
vinegar, or from other causes un.
known, there she WINS fopn6 nesi mOrh.
ing etiG End stark in death. And in
| less than an hour the news had spread
all over town, with the additional that
the last act OF her life had been to
make will entirely in her nephew's
favor. 1t was surprising how friendly
the whole populace Immediately be.
came towards Mr.. Peck,
In compliance With the express de-
sire OF tie deceased her will WIS to
be opened aud read by Mr. Steele im-
mediately after the funeral, and in
presence pf all whom that occasion
might bring together. Wherefore,
as soon as the burial was concluded, a
goodly number assembled in the par
/ lor OF the Jollifer mansion, where, at
table, Messrs Steele and Smelling
occupied a conspicuous place. Mr..
Peck sat near, in Grape bands and
with a preternatural solemn face. He
never glanced toward Miss Judd,
who, on her part, kept her eyes rig.
idly fixed upon him. Mrs Hayes md
Alice were present, the former look
ing sad with the genuine regret that
after all there should have been no
reconciliation with her aunt before her
death.
There was dead silence as Mr..
Steele arose and, after some remarks
and formalities, solemnly broke the
seal Of the will. Mr.. Peck's eyes
CLEANED despite himself, and he stole
one furtive side-glance at Miss Judd,
only to meet that lady's gorgon-like
gaze.
As the lawyer slowly unfolded the
important document the eyes OF all
were upon him, and they wondered al
the amazed and bewildered look with
which he regarded the paper. lie
turned 1t over and over, hold IL to the
light and with Mr.. Smelling carefully
examined IT,
This Is very extraordinary, he
said. 81 myself wrote and sealed
this will, and am certain that it has
not since been tampered with. The
seal was intact and tho paper un.
doubtedly the same upon which
wrote. Here are marks TO prove It;
but the writing itself, with the sigma.
lures, have disappeared.
Every body stared. Ambrose Peck,
with white face and wild eyes, came
forward.
"W-what ink did you use?" he
gasped.
The lawyer turned suddenly to Mis-,
Judd.
Miss Judd, can you produce the
bottle OF ink which you presented me
for the writing Of this will?'
No, SIR promptly replied tn
lady, rising as II on the witncss-stana
Of a court OF justice. III you re
member, informed you when | went
for you that there happened 10 be nc
ink in the house, and asked permission
10 take a bottle from your Office which
| did while you put on your coat; and.
after the will was written, requested
you to take the bottle back with you tc
the Office, which you did. "
Certainly. ! remember now; y;
bottle with a mulberry-cOored labe.
or wrapper, which ] bad noticed on
your desk, Mr.. Peck Perhaps II
would be as well 10 produce IT,"
Mr.. Peck turned his ewes wildly up,
on Miss Judd. What he. saw in the
gaze which unAinchingly met his own
only himself knew, but ne at once,
without uttering a word, sank linn
and helpless into a chair, trembling n,
though under a stroke of palsy.
The affair was q more than nine
days wonder TO the good people Of
the town. For there ensued a yerJ
complicated lawsuit, in which Il wa
finally decided that no legal and au
thontic will Of the late Mrs. Jolllfor
had been or could be produced; hei
whole property naturally reverted {,
her niece, Mrs. Hayes. So Alice ant
the doctor were enabled TO marry