The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1889-11-27
THE INDIANA STATE SENTINEL WEDNESDAY NovEM 2

was sorry trouble to him. I am glad, how
ever, that our last quarrel was made up
before he died. / should never have for
given myself otherwise"
"Then you have seen him lately ?"
asked MIR. Barnett in surprise, which he
did not attempt to hide.
Il saw him in the city on Tuesday and
spoke to him. lie had been at your office.
He was rather stern ut first, but he had
always a warm side TO me, bad as l was"
Mr.. Barnett doubted Mr.. MOnkton's
statement very much, but did not tell him
so. He only remarked: 1T must be a
great comfort to you now as things have
happened"
"4es, 1t is comfort, as yousay. Will you
be good enough to have look through my
brothers papers, and arrange them if they
need arranging. You understand such
things. He would have liked you to do it,
/ know" He spoke as though conscious
that by his own wicked cOnductin the past
he had forfeited all right to interfere in
mis- brothers affairs
MIR. Barnett although wondering not n
little at the position Henry Monkton was
taking up, wisely RETAINED from making
any remark. He merely said: Il was just
waiting TO see you before l began. will
go in now" and lett Mr. Monkton stand
ing alone.
Before he could begin his work among
the documents the arrangement for the
funeral required to be seen to, and the
forenoon was pretty far advanced also
when he at length set himself down to
work in earnest. He first of all opened
| the safe. took out the papers which he had
wrapped in the newspaper the previous
night, and placed them on the desk in the
| middle of the floor
II had better find the will in the first
place. thought he. ~ can't understand
! Henry Monkton's behavior at all, so
] different from his usual style. One would
think that he already has an idea how the
will stands, or he would be acting differ
| emily. He must have come down here
simply in fit of bravado, and with the
! intention, perhaps, of deceiving the people
| around by pretense of regret for the
brother he has lost He can't cheat me,
! however, with his hypocritical talk I
/ wonder if he knew the will was in his
brothers possession, or if he thought had
it. Here is bundle OF titles; the will may
be among them. have seen Monkton
| take it out from one of these drawers
| before, think. This one is half empty.
! Some of these papers on the desk probably
have been KEEP: in il"
He sat down and Embossed the piece of
| pink tape with which the documents were
| tied together and scTutinized each care
| fully. ut is not among these, at any rate"
| he said laying them aside and taking out
another smaller bundle. "Nor here. either,
ne added, after glancing over this second
| lot. "After all, it may be in that old cabi-
net or in this desk; but I should think he
would not keep anything but letters or
| things of that kind in either of these two
places"
He happened to turn round after closing
the drawer, and the bundle lying on the
| desk attracted his attention. He unwOund
the newspaper which enveloped its con-
| tents, and scattered the papers loosely
over the desk slight scrutiny con-
WINGED him that they consisted chiefly OF
| letters and circulars of one kind and an
other, some of them dated many years
back. These he paid little attention TO.
Then came part of the AToredun house
titles, which, together with some leases,
formed the remainder of the documents
before them He looked these over and
then placed them in the drawer he had
already examined. The rest Of the safe
was mainly taken up with business books
used by Mr.. Monkton before bis retire
ment from business as a merchant. The
safe was not large one, yet 1t took Mr..
DdI0tlt hOult Nlllt 10 tAdlulHt thoroughly
all it contained. He had Just made up his
| mind that the document sought for was
not there, when he was summoned to
dinner
Mrs Crawford, Miss Ashley and Mr..
Monkton were all present, but none of
them had dressed for the occasion. The
meal passed very quietly, little converse
ton being INDUCED in. Even the usually
| garrulous Mrs. Crawford was silent When
the ladies left the dining-room, Mr.
Barnett retired with them, and at once
went back to the library to resume his
search.
He had anticipated no trouble in finding
his late friends will; but the looking for it
promised to be more tedious business
than he had expected, although he had no
doubt OF finding it ultimately. Hours
passed, and still the search went on unsuc-
cessfuly. At 10 o'clock both cabinet and
desk had been thoroughly overhauled, I'M
less there were some secret drawers which
he had failed to discover. There was no
other place left in the room where Mr.
Monkton would be likely to keep the will
that he could see. Could it by any chance
be in his room upstairs ii it were not
discovered there, the conclusion seemed
ineyitable-that the will was lost.
"Has Mrs. Crawford gone upstairs TO
her room YETI" 1t was Mr.. Barnett who
spoke.
''No. SIR
Would you tell her. please, wish to
see her here in the library"
Very well, sir"
The servant departed, and in a short
time Mrs Crawford made her appearance
1t was now Monday evening and on the
morrow the funeral OF Mr.. Monkton would
take place. As yet the missing will had
not been found, although every likely and
unlikely place had been searched, with
the exception OF the bookcases in the lib
rary. which Mr.. Barnett WAS engaged in
examining. He had not up to this time
mentioned to anyone the fact of the will
having disappeared. But for alarming
Miss Ashley he would have taken her into
his confidence.
"Sit down, Mrs. Crawford" he said, adj
dressing that lady. "Close the door,
please do not want anyone TO hear what
L am going to say"
"Dear me; l hope there's nothing
wrong" said she. 81 was just thinking o.
going 20 my bed. Miss Ashley is away
up stairs to hers, and Henry Monkton to
his. What was il We were wanting?"
81 will tell you directly. Has Miss Ash
ley said anything to you about Mr.. Monk
tons viii p
'No; and didna like to speak O. it to