The Press., 1893-01-19

To
 1.-The provisions of this will command me to issue letters testamentary to MT. | Charles Elite, who is here present. l suppose?" announced Judge Baxter at | the surrogate's office an hour later, "and | suppose this to be the only document l and the latest under tire hand of the late Samuel Medbury." AS he paused ill I professional way he, gazed over his spec tacles at 8 group of a dozen, among whom were Margaret, Jack, Simmons, the Elites and sever | court loungers, including the sheriff. There was a mo1nentary pause, and the surrogate had already motioned for his clerk to come forward when Jacks steady tones broke the silence:
 "There are some papers which bear on the issue of letters. your honor, and as representative of the sole heir at law demand that the court see them before their holder is appointed executor and auditor of his own claims against Samuel Medbury's estate refer to three notes aggregating $12 OOO." MT. Charles, who looked somewhat uneasy, stepped for ward.
 II suppose" he vettured, "l am not obliged to show these at present, but in asmuch as Miss Margaret has seen fit to question their validity, and to discharge, or rather attempt to discharge, my l brother and myself for daring to an- 1 nounce our possession of them, 1 here with present them for your honors in spection. Are not both of these sigma lures those of the decedent in this case?' | o4o ,,t t;o | ally and announced, Mot only are the signatures in the handwriting of the late Samuel Medbury, but the body of the notes as well.'
 "Has your honor dark room near by?" was Jacks next question.
 The surrogate looked surprised. Ger tainly, MT. Hazeley. Why do you asky'
 "For the reason that I wish to call your honor's attention to certain pecu- liarity about these alleged notes.'
 "How do you know of any peculiarity about them, you presuming puppy? You never saw them in''--
 l "Silence!'' thundered the surrogate "Mr. Arthur Bite, want you to dis tinctly understand that l never allow such language in these chambers" :" Turning, he ordered his clerk to lead the way to the great vaults below, in which were filed all the county records of the surrogate's office. Jack and Sim mons brought up the procession. In Simmons arms were the cashbook and l journal, which, as they turned about to | survey the crowd, the brothers recog- nized as the volumes they supposed they had burned the Saturday evening pre- vious. The gas had been lighted, and by the glare of it the faces of the two 1 guilty wretches looked ghastly indeed. Were ever two knaves in closer quarters? The proof of one attempted crime before their eyes, and the proof of another, greater, and the primary crime of the lot, promised, and they in the presence of their accusers in all iron vault and with a stalwart sheriff at the door!
 "Your honor will please hold one of these notes up where the light will not fall directly on it-so," said Jack. The judge did as requested, and an ex- 1 clamation of wonder escaped every per son present except Jack and Simmons and the brothers. The former were smiling triumphantly. The latter, with looks of terror on their faces, were sinking toward the door, leaving their notes in the hands of their accusers.
 ''Sheriff, stop those two men, com manded Jack, and that official made a significant motion which brought the Elites to 8 stand. nYou will notice,' '' continued Jack, ':that while the body and signatures of those notes are here green the sums or faces and the dates are decided blue. Mr. Simmons, please tell the court your story" Simmons 1 did so, and the sheriff as he listened got out his bracelets.
 The surrogate listened attentively. l and at the conclusion of Simmons tale, which Jack had supplemented from time to time, said, "I must say that have never known of a case similar to this, and my duty is hardly clear to me at this moment
 "You will pardon the suggestion, your honor," interposed Jack, "but in behalf of my employer, Miss Medbury, allow me to say she has no desire to punish these wretched servants further than by the discharge they received Saturday If they will leave the city she will de- cline to prosecute"
 "I do not know that have right to allow them to go. Technically they are not guilty of forgery, but they are of fraHa, and of an attempt to utter fraud ulent paper. They have raised these otherwise harmless blanks, however, | and the law can and will handle them severely for it if I do my duty"
 ''I most earnestly request that they 1 1a allowed +n 5 cold Mor~oro& bo~o breaking in. 'sNo one can lose by their freedom but myself. and have not the least desire for vengeance"
 ''Granted," exclaimed the judge, 'tand if all employers were as lenient as you rascality would be more plentiful and lawyers would have less business" He nodded to the sheriff, who stepped to one side and allowed the precious pair to hurry out and down the street. They were not heard of for more than year afterward, and then only by brief news dispatch announcing the death of I Charles and the serious wounding of | Arthur by western farmer whose name l they had secured to an innocent looking order for patent right. The order proved a note, and the farmer went gunning for them. He refused pay ment, saving his money to defend him self with. He was acquitted by jury | of his neighbors.
 It was q merry and thankful company that assembled at the Medbury house that evening after the hearing before the surrogate, and when MT. and Mrs. Simmons and John Hazeley left at late hour the office problem had been settled satisfactorily to all concerned. Jack was to be business manager and dictate the editorial policy of the paper, for Simmons and Margaret seemed conf dent he could make no mistake. During the afternoon an arrangement had been made by wire whereby talented edito- rial writer from a neighboring city had | been secured and placed in the position