Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1894-04-12

drew sucH Il plCluIe Vi liN'ie HOAHS
in London that the two or three shah
by rooms became the brightest spot on
earth.
Tom and Constance were delighted,
and indeed I shrewdly suspect that
the whole affair was one Of my cous-
ms wife's matchmaking schemes.
"Ah, Lester" she SAID, "if that will
would only turn up, you might have a
fortune as well as bride" Oh, yes,
as protested that wanted no for
tune. Il know you are disinterested,
but you would still love Mabel, would
you not, if she were rich?'
BY Jove," said Tom. 1T is a
shame about that will, Let's have
another search for the box"
THE box What box?" I cried,
jumping to my feet in the excitement.
why, the tin box the will was in,
together with the papers. Didn't l
tell you the whole lot were missing?'
For e. moment I lost sight Of Tom
and Constance, and before me | saw
pallid hand, with its cleaning ruby,
and it traced the words Search for
the box in the old well.
I turned squarely upon Tom, who
was watching me somewhat curiously.
"Why don't you search the old
well?" l asked abruptly.
1t was Toms turn to Jump to his
feet
The old well What put that into
your head? But it shall be searched
before the sun goes down. And, by
Jove, Constance, don't you remember
when we leased the Grange that Har-
court spoke about the old well as dan
gerous, and suggested that We have it
filled up"
There was a well, then, and |
wanted to ask where; but Tom had
taken it for granted that knew all
about its existence, and did not
want to tell them my strange expert
ence on my first night at the Grange.
The search might reveal nothing
Tom would not wait moment but,
hurrying off to the stables, returned
with two or three Of his men, and
marshaled the party to the well, IN a
remote corner of the grounds.
The promise of sovereign to the
man who wouli make the search
quickly secured a volunteer, aud as
he descended, the stones on the sides
giving him footholi, Tom Int a
lantern to be lowered to him. The
well was quite dry, and if the box
vas there at all brief search would
discover it.
And we had not long to wait. Soon
we heard the man clambering up the
we'll side, and when his head rose
above the curb, Tom seized him and
fairly lifted him out And there was
the tin box protruding from his
pocket.
There is little more to tell. The
will was found to be uninjured. Lee
Harcourt never returned to England
thereby confessing virtually that be
had stolen the will, and Mabel in due
time was installed as mistress of the
Grange.
And well, l tried to be be mag
unanimous, and told Mabel | was nc
match for her, and that she was a.
liberty to break the engagement
whereupon she declared that she
would give the property to an orphan
ASYLUM and be once more the dover
less girl l had loved and won.
So l became master of the Grange
and among our most frequent visitors
are Tom and Constance.
Only the other day Tom said, as W
were enjoying our after dinner smoke
THAT was a bright thought Of yours
old fellow, about the well. | am sure
no one else would ever have hit uPor
it."
I thought of the hand in the dark
but I said nothing. After our mar
rage told Mabel the story, and W
had agreed that it should rest Sc
cret with US.
A Honely Reply.
This anecdote is told Of the lat