Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1890-11-27
7HB DISPUTED Will.

plication table can't estimate. Doctor
and I calculate this case is one o
them.
The speaker was Texan alcalde o
half century ago, q man with
grave, handsome face, and one o
those gigantic antediluvian figure
only found in the bracing atmospher
of the prairie, or the lush freedom o
the woods.
The senioretta will helo you to
fair settlement; she knows her owl
mind. Santa Jose! few women know
as much.
The doctor gave his opinion decid
edly, and in very good English, albei
his small, yellow person and courtly
digni6ed manner fully proclaimed hi
Mexican lineage. Then he calmly
helped himself to an olive and glas
of chambertin and watched the al
calde as he smoked, and waited fol
the expected ayuntamiento, or jury.
In half an hour, the twelve mer
had dropped in by twos and threes
nodded coolly to the alcalde, and
helped themselves to the liquors and
cigars on the sideooard. Now and
then they spoke, in monosyllables, and
the composure, gravity, and utter ab.
sence of hurry gave kind of dignl-
fed, patriarchal earnestness to the
proceedings that were eminently
American, and which quite made ur
for the lack of ceremony.
After lapse of FIVE minutes, the
alcalde touched little bell, and said
to the negro who answered it:
Zip, tell the gentlemen we are
waiting, and send lamar for Miss
Mary
The gentlemen who we're sitting
under gigantic arbor-vitae oakin the
garden, in close conversation, rose at
Zip's message, and sauntered slowly
into the presence of the alcalde, who
nodded rather stifly to them, and
motloned toward two chairs. They
were evidently men of culture, and
brothers; some of the jurors leaned
toward them with courteous saluta-
tlonS, others simply ignored their
presence.
But every ones interest was aroused
when the doctor hearing q footstep,
rose, opened .sae dooG, and offered his
hand to q lady who entered. A calm.
browed woman with large, steadfast
eyes-a woman who it was easy to see
could be law unto Herself.
She looked inqulringly at the two
gentlemen, who were evidently her
brothers, but finding no response to
the uttered love in her pleading eyes,
dropped them, and calmly took the
seat her friend led her to.
There was another pause; then the
alcalde laid down his cigar, and said:
'MenP
Squirrel
'We have got a little business to
settle between David and George For
syth and their sister Mary. You are
to Judge fairly between them, and
they are willing to stand by what you
say. ! calculate they'll explain their
own business best. David Forsyth,
will you speak for you side?'
David was a keen. shrewd lawyer,
and knew how to state his case very
plausibly. He said that his father,
unduly influenced by Doctor Zavala
who had designs on their sisters
hand--had left, no. only the home
stead, but thirty thousand dollars in
gold, to Mary Forsyth, and that they
claimed their share Of the money.
The men listened graveiy, with
keen; sidelong glances. When he had
finished, one of them said:
Very good, stranger; now, what do
you mean by 'unduly inauenced2"
Il mean that this Mexican passed
whole days with my father, reading
to him, talking to him, and in other
ways winning his affection, in order
to influence him in. the making of his
will
How much did old Forsyth leave
Doctor Zavals?'
He left him personally nothing.
but
'Ohr-the men nodded gravely at
one another.
But, said David, angrlly, he had
adeeper scheme than that. He in
duced my father to turn everything
but the homestead into money, aud to
place the whole sum in the San Anton.
Ia Bank to Mary's credit. We have
no objections to Mary having her
share, but we should not see why our
share should go to that Mexican
whom she intends to marry
The doctor smiled sarcactically, and
Mary blushing with indignation, half
rose as if to speak, but a slight move
ment OF Zavala's eyelids was sufficient
TO check the impulse.
Then Mary Forsyth is going to
marry Doctor Zavala2'
'Of course, she is.'
And you are willing that she
should have the homestead and ten