Iron County news. [volume] (Cedar City, Utah) 1890-189?, 1891-01-03
THE DISPUTED WILL.

There are some things the multiple
cation table can't estimate. Doctor, and
/ calculate this case is one Of them"
The speaker was Texan dlcdlde of
half century ago. a man with grave,
handsome face, aud one of those yigau-
tic antcdiluvian fignres only found in
the bracing atmosphere of the prairie,
or the lush freedom of the woods.
The Senorito will help you to fair
settlement; she knows her own mind
Santa Jose few women know as much. q"
The doctor gave his opinion decided
~, and 10 very good English, albeit his
small, yellow person and courtly. dig
nified manner fully proclaimed his
Mexican lineage. Then he calmly
helped himself TO an olive and n glass
of chambertin, and watched the dlcdide
as he smoked, and waited for the ex-
pected dyuntdmiento, or jury
In half an hour. the twelve men had
dropped In by twos and threes, nodded
coolly TO the dlcalde, and helped them
selves to the liquors and cigars on the
sidebOard. Now and then, they spoke
in monosyllables; and the composure,
gravity. and utter absence of hurry
gave kind of dignified, patriarchal
earnestncss to the proceedings that
were eminently American. and which
quite made up for the lack of ceremo-
ny.
After n lapse of five minutes, the
dlcatde 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 were sitting
under gigantic arbor-vite oak in the
garden, In close conversation. rose al
lips message, and sauntered slowly
into the presence of the alcdlde, who
nodded rather stifily to them. and mo-
toned toward two chairs. They were
evidently men of culture, and brothers;
some of the jurors leaned toward them
with courteous salutations, others sim
ply ignored their presence.
But every ones interest was aroused
when the doctor, hearing a footstep,
rose, opened the door. and offered his
land to lady who entered. A calm
proved woman with large, steadfast
eyes-a woman who it was easy to see
could be law unto herself.
She looked inquiringly at the two
gentlemen, who were evidently her
brothers, but finding no response to the
unuttered love in her pleading eyes,
dropped them, and calmly took the
seat her friend led her to.
There was another pause; then the
qicdtde laid down his cigar, and said:
Menu
"Squirem
1--WE have got little business to set
tie between David and George Forsyth
and their sister Mary. You are to Judge
fairly between them. and they are wal
ing to stand by what you say. l cal
culate they'll explain their own BUSH
ness best. David Forsyth, will you
speak for your sidep"
David was keen, shrewd lawyer.
and knew how to state his case very
plausibly. He said that his father, un-
duly Influenced by Doctor Zavala-who
had designs on their sisters hand-had
left, not only the homestead, but thirty
thousand dollars in gold. to Mary
Forsyth, and that they claimed their
share OF the money.
The men listened gravely, with keen,
sidelong glances. When he had fin
ished, one of them said:
Very good, stranger; now, what do
you mean by unduly infuencedp"
81 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 influ-
ence him in the making of his will"
How much did old Forsyth leave
Doctor ZavalaP"
He left him personally nothing,
but"
"ohr-the men nodded gravely at
one another.
But" said David, angrily, "he had
a deeper scheme than that. He in.
duced my father to turn everything but
his homestead into money, and to place
the whole sum in the San Antonio Bank
to Mary's credit. We have no objec-
tons to Mary having her share, but
we do not see why our share should go
20 that Mexican whom she intends to
marry"
The doctor smiled sarcastically, and
Mary blushing with Indignation, half
rose as If to speak. but slight move
ment Of Zavala's eyelid5 was sufficient
to check the impulse.
Then Mary Forsyth isgoing to mar
ny Dsctor Zayalap"
''Of course, she is.n
"And you are willing that she should