Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1893-09-14

arter tnat genuine document nad Decn
destroyed, IL was necessary that will
In favor of some available and not inn
probable heir should be produced and
probated. Annie Dupont, the sole heir
at-law, was among the missing; or
rather, she was in that still more hope
less category OF persons whose exist
ence has never been satisfactorily cstab-
lished. Clearly, then, Annie Dupont
was not 20 be considered In this connec-
ton. No more available person than
Mrs. Maynard could be found; there
fore she was the one selected. Now,
this line Of argument would lead 10 tho
conclusion that the conspiracy origin
ated with Jcnner; but on the other
hand, with the same facts little diff
fercntly confgured, IL could be IA
! clearly shown that Mrs. Maynard and
Noll originated the scheme, selected
Jonner ns an indispensable nccomplice.
and by allowing her legacy 10 be
doubled drew her, willing instru-
mcnt, into the conspiracy. This Is nm
doubtcdly the true state Of the case. IL
was Jenncr, beyond all question, who
placed the will in Mrs. Dunkirl's desk
and subsequently led up TO the dis
covery Of IL by the lawyers. II was
Jcnner alone who could have gained
access 10 Mrs. Dunltirk's private seal.
IL was Jenner who rccollected that Mr..
Herman drew that first will; Jenner
who furnished the specimens OF hand
writing by the aid of which the for
gerry was effected; but they made their
first fatal mistake In dating this forged
will after Norristown's death and
Kernan's departure for Europe. Well,
well, nm slowly solving all the
mysteries Of this case; and yet thus far,
Notwithstanding my reckless attempts
10 do so, / have been unable to put my
hand on q single direct and indisput-
able proof Of Mrs, Maynard's share in
the conspiracy. Can hope yet 10 OBJ
tain this evidencc?"
He raised his eyes TO her as this ques-
ton entered his mind She was appar-
emily lost In reverie as profound as his
had been; she seemed even To have lost
all consciousness of his presence, and
when he spoke abruptly after long in
terval OF silence she started rs II the
whole current Of her thoughts had been
changed.
"Jenner was quite an old family
servant, was she not, Mrs Mnynard?"
The question was so strangely irrele-
want to her own reflections that Mrs.
Maynard smiled little as she answered
it,
"Yes, she came from England with
Dr. and Mrs Dunkirls when they were
married, forty years ago. She was
their houselteeper, and In this capacity
she lived with Mrs. DunlSirls all these
years"
"a clever person, is she not?"
"She Is n woman of more than ordi-
nary intelligence and Mrs. DunlsirlS al
ways treated her as friend, rather
than servant Jcnner's family in
England were very respectable middle
class people, and she received fair ed
ucation, which, added to her native
slrcwdness, made her appear quito
the average OF her class. A very sensi-
bic, clever woman"
"Was she friendly TO you?"
"From the very first | was secure in
her good graces. II always seemed u
little odd 10 me, for she was not at all
disposed TO show any friendliness TO
strangers"
North nodded slightly. He was maxi
ing his own shrewd mental comments
on all these statements.
And now, Mrs. Maynard" he said,
ITO pass abruptly 10 another point, rs
nearly rs you can recollect, when was
tins will OF Mrs. DunlSirk's--the gem
uine one, you understand-when was IL
drnwn?'
"As nearly as can recollect, and
am convinced that my memory is not at
fault, II was made two years before my
marriage; just six years ago"
"Then you have been married four
years." was North's instantaneous COM
ment, which, however, he kept TO him
self, merely saying aloud:
And II was destroyed some ten
months previous 10 her denth-no, no,
ten months previous 10 the present time,
these dates are 80 very contradictions
months previous to her death. Then
all this time from the day on which II
was drawn 10 the day ON which II was
destroyed-we can only approximate
these dates presumc?" abruptly.
II think so. certainly have nc
J definite knowledge Of them"
well, then, during all this time-a
/ period extending over about six years
not more and only trife less-that
, will was In Mrs. DunlSirk's possession
and, SO far as we can divine our senti
? ments in regard 10 II, she was entirely
: satisfied with tho document, and wa
, willing that II should stand as her las
4 will and testament. Now, the mex
point that | propose 10 take up thi
! morning, II can do so without consum
; ing too much time, is in reference 4
b. Hamilton Dupont. | consider 1t i'm
portaut for mo to have his history, 81
}. far MS II IL known To you clearly In m,
r mind. His enlargement from Mrs
v DunlSirlS, and the uncertainty Il
I. which, TO this day, that unhappy affai
r. has involved the fate Of his daughter
g are matters Of vital Importance 10 MS
/. win You, therefore, please tell me briei
4 ly what you know of the history q
!. Hamilton Dupont?'
Il And with pencil poised over his not
n book, North waited for the recital.
!, Mrs. Maynard began at once.
=
. CHAPTER XIII
n lfing-Let Us from point 70 point this sioI
know Ais Wen That Ends Well
- "lIamilton Dupont was the youngei
!, of large family, Of which, by the tim
~ he reached the ago Of twenty-one,
!, and Mrs. Dunldrk were the only SUI