The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1893-07-26

covery Of 1t by the lawyers. 1t was
Jenner alone who could have gained
access to Mrs. DunlSirks private seal.
1t was Jenper who recollected 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, am slowly solving all the
mysteries of this case; and yet thus far,
Notwithstanding my reckless attempts
to do so, have been unable to put my
hand on single direct and indisput-
able proof of Mrs. Maynard's share in
the conspiracy. Can hope yet to OBJ
tain this evidence?"
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 as II the
whole current Of her thoughts had been
changed.
"Jenner was quite an old family
servant, was she not, Mrs. Maynard2"
The question was so strangely irrele-
want to her own reflections that Mrs.
Maynard smiled little as she answered
II.
"Yes, she came from England with
DR.. and Mrs Dunxirk when they were
married, forty years ago. She was
their housekeeper, and in this capacity
she lived with Mrs. Dunldrk all these
years."
"a clever person, is she not7"
"She is a woman of more than ordi-
nary intelligence, and Mrs. Dunlsirk al
ways treated her as a friend, rather
than servant Jenner's family In
England were very respectable middle
class people, and she received a fair ed
ucation, which, added to her native
shrewdness, made her appear quite
the average Of her class. Avery sensi-
BILE, clever woman"
WAS she friendly TO you?"
Prom the very first was secure in
her good graces. II always seemed a
little odd to me, for she was not at all
disposed to show any friendliness TO
strangers"
North nodded slightly. He was max
ing his own shrewd mental comments
on all these statements.
"And now, Mrs. Maynard" he said,
ito pass abruptly to another point, as
nearly as you can recollect, when was
this will of Mrs. Dunkirk's-the gen.
uine one, you understand-when was 1t
drawn?"
"As nearly as I can recollect, and I
am convinced that my memory is not at
fault, 1t 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 it was destroyed some ten
months previous TO her death-no, no,
ten months previous to the present time,
these dates are so very confusing-four
months previous to her death. Then
all this time from the day on which II
was drawn to the day on which IL was
destroyed-we can only approximate
these dates, presumed" abruptly.
81 think 80. l certainly have no
definite knowledge Of them"
"Well, then, during all this time--s
period extending over about six years,
not more and only trife less-that
will was In Mrs. Dunl5irk's possession,
and, so far as we can divine our senti-
ments In regard TO IL, she was entirely
satisfied with the document, and was
willing that it should stand rs her last
will and testament Now, the next
point that / propose to take up this
morning, II / can do so without consum-
ing too much time, is in reference to
Hamilton Dupont. consider it i'm
portant for me TO have his history, so
far as 1t is known TO you, clearly in my
mind. His estrangement from Mrs.
DunlSirk, and the uncertainty in
which, to this day, that unhappy affair
has involved the fate of his daughter,
are matters of vital Importance to us.
win you, therefore, please tell me brief
ly what you know Of the history Of
Hamilton Dupont?"
And with pencil poised over his note
book, North waited for the recital.
Mrs. Maynard began at once.