Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1889-03-28
CHAPTER XIV.
IHE Will sICNED AND IOsT

HI WILL slCAED AND LO5I
Grace stood nearthe threshold with white
face and questioning eyes
~ thought / heard grandpa call"
1t is nothing. Go out az once ordered
Captain Starbrighi
Al this moment the girl caught sight
Of the dead face among the pillows, and
with shrill cry Of alarm she dartcd for
ward and Dentoyer the old millionaire.
Grandpa grandpa speak 10 me, cried
Grace Penroy shrilly. sei2Ug one of his
hands
The chill of death was in the od pains
and on the instant the girl realized the
truth, that the kind old man, kind 10 her
at least, would never speak again. He was
dead, had died without looking asan Gpon
her face. The thought was most painful
one 10 poor Grace Sue could not weep
iheu for indignation held sway IN her
neari. Turning upon captain Sisrbrleht.
she cried;
You promised 10 send for n,e and did
not Cruel man,
Then. without waiting for word from
him, she walked with bowed head aud sol'-
rowfu micn from the room
Seekmorc Gripes ghded to the door with
4 cat-lii5e tread and turned tue key in the
lock
'sXou should havr taken that precaution
before, he said, piercing The Captain with
his little gray eyes
Is was an oversight on my part admit
ted Captain Starbright
Which may prove Your downfall
" Don crOak. Cripes, whatever Won DO
The situation warrants i.
hope sou are not ready - throw up
the sponge
What can we dot'
The hoarlless lawyer penetrated his com.
panion with glance.
This calamity is so sudden / anl not pre-.
pared 70 state, answered the Captain.
pacing the room with uneasy strides
No will has been made, remarked the
lawyer Death thwarted you there
And the properly goes 10 the next Of
king
Certainly"
Starbright thought OF Mrs. Pcnrov and
groaned He knew that she hated him, and
would be only too glad to order him kicked
from the house should she come into posses
sion. Should he permit this pale, worn out
woman 10 win the millions foT which he had
been scheming so longs No, he could not
think of IT, He believed now that a mistake
had been made in giving that potion to the
old man. Although it contained but one
drop OF the cough drops obtained from
Mother Calcra, that drops had. The CAPTAIN
believed. proved fatal
zone minute more OF life and the will
would have been signed" uttered me Cap
tain at length, with groan
That is true.
Captain Starbright bent over the docu.
ment rs it lay spread out OIL the table. With
a name signed at the foot it would be legal
document, as II was il was Gully so much
blank paper The Captain was not the man
TO permit fortune 10 slip through his
fingers when there was a way TO prevent IT.
\ few strokes 81 pen would fix ths.,
he said IN low tone. g'ancing at Mr..
Gripes.
The lawyer looked wise, but said nothing.
Perhaps he was keen enough not TO advise
IN such an emergency
1t was evidently the old man > Intention
to sign the will, pursued Captain Star
bright.
at was his INST intention, returned Mr.
Gripes, Significantly.
There is a million al stake. Mr. Gripes. :"
The lawyer nodded
Just turn your back one moment"
Seekmorc Gripcs did so
+! He heard the scratch, scratch o. a peu,
then the Captains voice;
TO BE CONTIN UED.