The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1892-08-13

peated when Mr.. Pierrepont asked him
atiectionately Ii he was ready to 20
through the usual formalities
''Very we'll, then; will fetch Mrs.
Buffers as second Witness" said the
nephew. "The doctor there would do,
but his attention must not be taken
from his patient"
"The doctor! thought, wondering
why the portly individual whose broug.
ham / had watched 30 often should
have given place to the faxen-haired
young man whose right arm encircled
the general SO carefully.
Mr.. Pierrepont returned with a SNUFF
fling, tremulous female, whose vacuous
ceuntenance at once relieved my own
landlady from charge OF libelng her
neiehbor and rival which ] had men,
tally preferred against her.
"Stop there by the door till you are
wanted; we must not crowd the gen.
eral," said Pierrepont, and Mrs. Buffers
halted obediently, paying a good deal
more attention to the pattern OF her
own carpet than to the proceedings
around her.
"Here is the will" Pierrepont went
on, holding up the paper, with the
place for the signatures OF the testator
and witnesses as yet blank. Then he
replaced it reverently before his uncle,
who bent over the document, and, sup
ported by. the ever careful doctor, slow
ly affixed his name-"William Joseph
Maitland"-at the foot. As soon as his
pen had made the last feeble scratch
Mr.. Pierrepoint brought the will over
to me before the ink was dry, and1 add
ed my name, using the dressing table as
a writing desk. The vacuous 'landlady
followed, and in her tremulous scrawl
General Maitland's last will and tesla
ment received Its finishing touch
Immediately prepared to leave the
room, and Pierrepont made no attempt
to detain me. I said good night to
the general, adding some commonplace
about hopes for his recovery-a compli-
ment which he again acknowledged with
one OF his grave bows.
Pierrepoint followed me on to the
landing to conduct me to the street
door. He thanked me profusely for
coming; indeed, he said good deal
more than the occasion demanded. /
stopped him, and. to turn to the CONVEX
sation, said: .,
$50 you have changed your doctor,
Mr.. Pierrepoint"
He stopped in the passage, and
blinked at me inouiringly
"Ahw he said, you have perhaps no.
ticed DR.. Lorrimer here. That is An.
drews, his assistant. The doctor could
not come tonight, and between our.
selves, Andrews is the best man ]
think"
In the morning ! received a schock.
The first piece OF news my landlady-
busting in with the breakfast tray
impaired was that General Maitland
was dead.
For moment experienced a sensa-
ton Of surprise. Probably the gener-
al's rudy checks had forbidden the
idea OF such speedy removal, but l
soon saw that, after all, there was not
much to wonder at.
The day was again fine, and I deter
mined to return to the ruined tower to
finish the sketch Ihad begun. reached
the place on foot and set to work, but
after some little time had to shift my
position in order TO obtain different
view Of my subject. In doing so met
with an accident. An old stone wall on
which had mounted crumbied beneath
me and 1 fell violently to the ground.
When rose knew that my left arm
was broken.
In great pain made my way back to
my lodgings, and accepted my landlady's
offer to send at once for the doctor. In
answer to her inquiry as to which OF
the medical men in the town would
prefer, named the only one had any
knowledge of-Dr. Lorrimer, who had
been such a frequent visitor next door:
The doctor came quickly and did
what was needful. 1t was asimple frac-
ture and easily set. DR.. Lorrimer was
q cheerful, chatty man, and stayed for
a little general conversation after his
professional skill had exhausted itself.
"By the way, DOCTOR" said. you
have lost your patient next door"
eyes, poor old fellow" he replied,
mot before ] expected, though. There
was no hope for him from tho first"
"Yourassistant, Mr.. Andrews, seemed
to be taking every. care OF him last
night" I said.
"Aly assistant! Mr.. Andrews! Last
nightn the doctor exclaimed in amaze.
ment, II have no assistant, and what OF
last night, STRIP
explained how had been asked in
by Mr.. Pierrepont to witness the gem
erals will at $3.50 in the evening.
DR.. Lorrimer drew a long breath.
SWELL" he said at last, "if you saw him
sign his will at $3.50 he signed it with q
dead hand. General Maitland died at
4:SO Yesterday afternoon"
My broken arm was the means OF ex-
posing the whole dastardiy plot by
which Castor Pierrepont, aided by his
wife, had schemed to possess himself OF
his uncle's property to the exclusion OF
his son and lawful heir-an officer serv-
ing in an Indian regiment. The gem
oral had, as the doctor said, died shortly
after 4, he himself being present. Hav-
ing finished with the case it was not
likely that the doctor would be ques-
toned as to the exact hour OF death,
and there would be nothing suspicious
in man signing his will on the day OF
his death, should the generals son com.
pare the date Of the will with that OF
the certificate which DR.. Lorrlmer had
given before he left tho house.
The "Mr. Andrews" who supported
the dead man and guided his hand was
CASTOR Pierrepont's wife, woman who
had already suffered imprisonment,
and who was the instigator OF her hus-
bands crime. The source of the
"healthy glow" which bore principal
part in deceiving me can easily be I'M
agined.
cused by Dr.. Lorrimer and myself, and