The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1895-12-19
Inc dummy check was still IN our
hands, and was at once destroyed, so,
with nothing to fear, we coolly walked
up Broadway.
CHAPTER ~.

line Eastward HO was hint Of
project we had frequently talked over as
q possible speculation. Here we see how
men are led on step by step from bad
worse when once they set out on the
Primrose Way.
We resolved to tell Irving in gen.
eral way that we were going to Europe
to make some money and would pay
him and his two fellows their percent
age. Then we could apparently work
with IMMUNITY, for Of course if we COM
mitted forgery in Europe and were
recognized as Americans-as probably
we would be-the foreign police would
report the case to the New York polio,
that is, to Irving.
Edwin James and Brea had dropped
out Of our lives for good, but as my
readers will be curious to know of their
fate in after times I will relate it in
this chapter.
The S., 900 we gave James eased up
matters for a time. Practice he had
none, but managed ~ hold on in the
hope OF realizing on the Brea will mat
ter, but getting deeper and deeper in
debt. Brea helped him all he could, as
his presence was essential if the old lady
departed and the forged will was pro-
duced. One night, four years later,
Brea's mother-i law had more than
usually furious outbreak of temper and
fell to beating the three daughters still
living with her. Before it was over she
had attacked and seriously injured the
eldest, and then flew to her room in a
passion. Not appearing at breakfast the
next morning her daughter went to her
room, but she was not there and the
bed was undisturbed. Going to the
room that served for office and library,
they found the door as usual locked.
Bursting it open the poor old maids
found their mother huddled in corner
Of the room dead.
The genuine will was destroyed, and
the family lawyer, James, Immediately
after the funeral produced and read
"the last will and testament Of the
dead woman. The four sisters and a
host Of poor relations were present at
the reading. When Sarah, Brea's wife,
heard her name read as chief heir of
the vast estate, she was stunned, but if
she was stunned the rest of the family
were paralyzed Legacies were left to
many, small N amount, save in the case
of the other three sisters, who were to
have certain tenement and land in
Harlem and $4,000 a year for life out
of the estate. None of those present
thought for a moment of questioning
either the ge:luineness of the will or the
validity of the testaments save only a
poor relation, nephew, whose name
was down for $500. He was indignant
with the old lady and loudly declared
that he would not put up with it. The
next day he employed briefess lawyer,
one that had wit and brass enough and
| who had his way to make in the world
and was determined to make it.
Without waiting for the will to be
probated or having legal authority to
do so Brea and his wife, the very day
after the funeral, moved into the house
and took possession. But before the
| week was out he had persuaded the
three old maids that they would be hap
pier if away from the scene of their par
ent's death, SO he had them installed in
their own house at Harlem, he remain
ing in undisturbed possession, waiting
only for the will to be probated in order
to take possession of upward of 5000, 600
in cash and bonds still in the custody Of
the old lady's bank. He had full posses
sion Of the house, and with entire conf
dence waited to be put in legal posses
sion Of all
| But little did he dream that at that
moment there was one poor torn sheet OF
foolscap in the library, casually thrust in
book, lying completely at his mercy tc
destroy if he could only have known it,
which was going to tear all his wealth
foiled plotter to become an adventure1
and ultimately to perish miserable
outcast.
Brea then attempted negotiations with
the attorney. Cautious as he was, he
said enough to convince the lawyer that
for some reason he did not want the case
to come before the courts. Still the at
torney was half inclined to join hands
with Brea In the meantime Ezra (this
] was the name of the man of law had
acquired great power over the sisters,
and they all looked to him both as
champion and protector. He resolved to
be protector to one at least, paying as
siduous court to Jane, the youngest. Al
though past 80, and without education
or accomplishments, she was warm
hearted and extremely sentimental, and
q thrill went through her tender heart
when it became evident that Ezra's at
tention pointed at her. She quickly
| made him hero and invested the thin
shanked, narrow chested, waspish at
| torney with Thousand tender attri-
butes, and when, after one months ac-
quaintance, she found herself alone with
him in the poky little parlor, and he
asking her to be his wife, her woman Is
heart overflowed, and telling him she
had loved him from the first hour they
met she threw herself into his arms, cry
ing she was the happiest and most IA
vored woman in the world. In the midst
Of the hapnv lovers talk she ran to the