St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1892-10-08

| ously anxious to conquer his shortsrght-
edness in order to make out what manner
of man was In other words, he peered
at me somewhat rudely.
1T is simply the small matter Of wit
Messing the signature to will, he said.
eff | might trespass on your kindness to
step in next door for that purpose
should be greatly obliged. My uncle is
i'll, and though trust he is in no i'm
mediate danger he is anxious to atfix his
signature tonight"
81 shall be most happy said, taking
up my h, t, 81 will come with you at
once
81 must introduce myself" said the
stranger, as he led the way downstairs.
"My name is Castor Picrrepont; my
uncle whom you are about to see Is Gen
eral Maitland, of Godncy Park, North
ampshire | brought him here in the
hopes that he might derive benefit from
the sea air."
"With good results, trust" was the
reply which politcncss drew from me,
though the frequent visits Of that ominous
brougham led me to expect a negative
answer.
To my surprise Mr.. Pierrepoint replied
in the affirmative,
eyes," he said, "my uncle is better,
though still dangerously ILL.,"
BY this time we were out in the street
at the door of No 49, He had already
inserted his latch key in the lock, when
he paused and looked at me.
"Therc is one thing | must prepare
you for,n he said, blinking his weak
eyes at me in the gloom; ''my uncle is
unable to speak. His complaint is ncrv
o'ts paralysis, you understands Other
wise he is i'll full possession of his facul-
ties. The doctor is with him now, and
ccrtities to his fitness to sign
merely bowed and followed him into
the house. No. - was a fac-simile of
No. IA, with the exception of some slight
differences in the furniture which
stamped it as what it was-a sccond-ratc
seaside lodging house. Mr.. Pierrepont
conducted me upstairs to tho first floor,
and stopping outside L door on the land
ing knocked three times. There was q
slight pause and movement inside the
chamber, and then voice said, "Comc
in
Grasping the door handle, Mr. Pierre
pont turned to me hurriedly as if he had
forgotten something.
Il think" he said, ''it might be as
well if knew who was going to per-
form this service for us. Might l ask
| stopped him by acceding to his very
reasonable request. l took out my pock
etbook and gave him one of my visiting
cards with my name-Angus Macdonald
and the address of my studio in St.
Johns Wood engraved thereon. He put
it close to his eyes, blinked at it, and said
in tone which somehow or other sug-
gcsted relief:
"Ah! you live in London--not here
| see"
He opened the door, and followed
him into the room. There was dim
light from shaded lamp which stood
on a small table at the head of the bed,
but so disposed that the curtains pre-
vented its rays from falling on the sick
man. On the bed, half reclining, half
supported by a young man, with fair
hair and wearing spectacles, was an old
man whom, even in that dim light, | saw
to be of stately presence and dignitied
mien.
His scanty locks were snow white, as
were the bushy eyebrows, which he kept
bent down toward the paper lying on the
bed before him. But what surprised me
most was the ruddy glow of health in
General Maitland's checks The latter
~, hut H,, f,,,,
lamp light was strong enough to show me
a pink and white color that would have
done no discrcdit to a maiden of six
teen.
My conductor introduced me briefly.
The general merely acknowledged my
presence by courteous inclination of the
head-a movement which he repeated
when Mr.. Pierrcpoint asked him affec-
tionately if he was ready to go through
the usual formalitics.
Every well, then, I will fetch Mrs.
Buffers as second Witness" said the
nephew. "Thc doctor there would do,
but his attention must not be taken from
his patient.'
"The doctor ~ | thought, wondering
why the portly individual whose brough-
am had watched so often, should have
given place to the tlaxen- haired young
man whose right arm encircled the
general so carefully. The parsonage
with the brougham did not cure quick
enough, suppose.
Mr.. Pierrcpoint returned with snu-
fling, trcmuIous female, whose vacuous
at once relieved my own
from a charge of libelling her
neighbor and rival which had mentally
preferred against her.
"Stop there by the door till you are
wanted; we must not crowd the general"
said Pierrepont, and Mrs. Buffers halted
'bcdicntly, paying a good deal more at
;ention to the pattern of her own carpet |
han to the proceedings around her.
'IIerc is the will, ;" Pierrcpont went on,
holding up the paper, with the place for
he signatures of the testator and wit |
lcsses as yet blank. Then he replaced it |
evercntly before his uncle who bent over
he document, and, supported by the
yer careful doctor, slowly affixed his
lame: civilian Joseph Maitland,' at
he foot. AS soon as his pen had made
he last feeble scratch, Mr.. Pierrepont
'rought the will over to me before the
nix was dry, and I added my name, using
he dressing table as a writing desk.
he vacuous landlady followed, and in
er tremulous scrawl General Maitland's
lst will and testament received its fin
,hing touch.
l Immediately prepared to leave the
DOM and Pierrepont made no attempt to
ctain me-
l said Goodnight" to the general,
dding some commonplace remark about
opes for his rccovcry-a compliment