Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-03-18

"ThenI will begin my catechism at once,
said Philip. "Please to give me an exact ac-
count of what passed in your last mterVle"
with Mr. Pennycomequick."
"Do you mean actually the last-as he went
out for his walk by the canal. or when he gave
me the will to keep?'
81 mean the latter"
"He had been out to dinner. I sat up await
ing for him, thinking he might want something
before he went to bed. 1t was most unusal Tor
him to accept invitations to dine out. When
he came back"
"He had been dining with Mrs. sidebottom,
1 thinkg"
"Yes; when he came back it was early-that
is to saw. earlier than expected. But he was
out of spirits, and told me he left as soon as he
could get away for that reason"
Had anything occurred to disturb himF'
Mot that know. But he certainly was in a
more desponding mood than had seen MIN In
at any time previously"
"Did he give any reason for it?"
Salome hesitated.
"Wbat reason did he give for his depressed
spirlts?'
HE did not exactly give reason for it, but
he was a little mistrustful-perhaps of the
world in general"
"And of anyone in particular"
Salome colored; her hand caught her shawl
below her chin and worked nervously with it.
81 had rather you did not force me 10 answer
that question" she said, timidly.
Very WELL" said Philip. "only let me OBJ
serve that this is not answering me with the
fullness that was promised"
II think he was unjust-and had rather that
little ebullition of injustice was forgotten"
go on" said Philip. did he give you the
will, then?-and was it in any way in connection
u, 81, ;eHr, -
II cannot say that. He started up, said he
would confide to me a most solemn trust that
concerned me nearly, and went out OF the
room
"Whither did he go?"
ITO the study, 1 fancy; and in a moment re-
turned"
Excuse me. In a momentT
"Yes, almost directly, returned with pa
per-"
at was in the envelope?"
"Oh, yes, Just as gave it you"
You did not think he would have had time
to open the envelope, tear off his signature and
re-seal the cover before coming back to the
room where you were?"
"oh, no, He went upstairs and came down
again Immediately"
"Now tell me. Are you quite sure that he
believed the will was intact when he gave it
you?"
81 am sure of it from his manner"
And where did he keep it before he gave it
your"
81 do not KNOW"
"Had you any previous knowledge of the will
and its conJents?"
None whatever. have not even heard my
mother speak of it; and she must have known,
because she witnessed it. But am sure also
she had no idea as to its contents, or she would
have Joined with me in entreating him not to
make such an unjust disposition of his
property. am GLAD the will is worthless, be-
cause never could have felt that / had a right
to receive all. uncle-I mean Mr.. Pennycome-
quick-left me in that will should have felt
that was robbing the relations, andI would
have refused to benefit by the will"
who is the John Dale who signed as witness
along with your motherT'
'Mr. Dale! Oh, he was dear friend of Mr..
Pennycomequick. He always spent his Christ
mas here, and uncle went at whitsuntide to
spend few days with him at Bridlington. Mr..
Dale is trustee to Janet. We both like him."
Salome spoke so openly so quietly and with
such self-possession, that again his suspicious
began to yield to the charm of her honesty. as
they had before.
Zone matter further" said Philip. AFTER
Mr.. Pennycomequick had given you the will,
you locked it up in-I remember you said-a
workbox."
"Yes, in my workbox."
"And the workbox-was that put away any
where?'
"Oh, no. use it every day."
"Then-the same box is unlocked very
often?"
"Yes"
"And left unlocked?"
Gail
but it is in my room. No one would meddle with
my things-no one has any interest in my little
odds and ends. Besides, no one would be so
mean" Then after pause, "Mr Pennycome-
quick, you charged me with piece of baseness
which"-she shook her head impatiently. as if
to shake off the imputation-"which it is a
stain on me to think of as possible. l could
not-I would die rather than do what is mean.
Meanr' She turned her face suddenly round
on him; it was flushed, and the eyes sparkled.
mo, Mr.. Pennycomequick, I could be wicked,
but not mean-no, not that on any account, un-
der whatever provocation-no, not meanr'
Il beg your pardon, Miss ellsworth, most sin.
cerely. 1 committed myself to a rash charge,
which withdraw"
She paid no attention to his apology, but
went on-"No, 1 would not have taken advan-
tage of the will had it been in form and right
for that would have been mean. Dear Mr.
Pennyoomequick 1 loved and love still from
the depths of my heart, but he had his faults,
and one was that he was not forgiving to his
own relations - to you. And he thought
harshly of his sister, Mrs. Sidebottom and de-
spised Captain Pennycomequick. 1 had no
claim on him at all, and if he saw that he had
done wrong, and had himself cancelled the
will, no one would rejoice more than myself;
for it would show me that he had returned to a
more kindly view of you ALL"
But how do you account for the signature
being torn Off"
81 have not thought much about it since. 1
thought only of the hurt you had done me.n
"Is it possible that he can have changed his
mind, invalidated his will, and then forgotten
that he had done so? No, that is impossible.
The act was too recent" Philip argued aloud,
II would not have had people think ill of
dear old uncle" said Salome, pursuing her own
train of thought little concerned how the will
was invalidated, concerned only with her solic.
itude for the memory of the deceased. He
had been unspeakably kind to my mother and
my sister and me. Everyone would talk, all
would say he had been unjust, supposing that
will had stood. Over his grave-that was not
he who was buried to-day-his grave wherever
il may be, heart-burnings would have arisen.
and reproachful words would have been cast
at his memory. He wrote that will in some
queer mood when he was not quite himself.
He never, I must say it, quite valued Mrs.
Sidebottom as = sister, and he was ill-pleased
when she left York and settled at Mergarroyd.
The Captain, he thought, had not much brains
and was imprudent about money. You he did
not know, and he had mistaken prejudice
against lawyers. But there-how the will was
made of no effect; whether by himself or-or,
how, matters little, the deed is done. and no
one can ever say that he wronged his own flesh
and blood"
She had spoken quickly, eagerly, without
pause, and with a heightened color.
A sudden idea came into Philips mind with
a flash.