Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1895-04-20

nephew JOAN Hart Royal previous 70 n'S
marriage with his cousin Phyllis hoE"'
the property should pass to the slii o,',
tire. and further provided that' s"o'''
PHYLLIS blindness continue, the properly
luly placed in the hands of trustees
should be charged with her maintenance
during the term of her natural llfe' III
fer which it was to be distributed ac'
corling to the terms of the Original W.
ROYAL drew long breath as he put the
paper back into its envelope.
"How long have You had thlst
"Since before Aunt Anne died. she
gave it to me one day and told me TO
keep it in my desk until after my "ed
ding day. If anything unforeseen should
happen, was to give it to MI bfdnuoh
or Nina"
Royal pondered -,
Il wonder what could have suggested
the idea that John Royal might die' lie
observed thoughtfully.
Aunt Anne was very nervous tor
more than year before her death,
Phyllis explained. THAT paper was
drawn up the spring we were here hrst
about my eyes. There had been terri
BILE epidemic in Vienna, where John was
"a sort of plague; the papers were tuli
of it. and John, being II physician was
of course all the time exposed to the IN
lection. Aunt Anne was terribly uneasy
about him"
"And YOU have known the contents OF
this paper-how long,"
%111 n
death. | never thought of it at all be-
fore. There was no reason why should.
Nina and | opened it then, but
wouldn't let her say anything about 1t
to you, nor would | tell you myself
This question OF money had been so
large, so disastrous Il factor III the plans
for my marriage to John, that wanted
our decision to be uninfluenced by 1t in
any way. o. course I'm glad about it
more than glad. 1t proves to the world
that which | knew so well, that Aunt
Anne really cared about my future.
And"-her face softened and broke into
shy smiles as she slipped her hand into
his--"I am glad to bring something
more than just myself to the man who
sacrificed himself for me"
Royals answer may be left to the
imagination of those similarly situated.
And so it came to pass that there was
suit after all, and the lawyers had a
hand in the matter. Not that it amount
ed to much. being only the necessary
legal incarnation without which no prop
erty in the commonwealth may change
hands. The only point to be established
was the time of John Royals death, and
this the evidence of the young physician
and the cOlOred nurse sutficed to do. The
negro deposed to having stopped the
dead mans watch at ten minutes to 12-
''soon as bref had done lef' him good. "
There might have been room for argu-
ment here, as the marriage was over at
precisely that time; but the young doc
tor declared that when he, not caring to
bear the whole responsibility, had left
the room in search of the hotel proprie-
tor, it mad been good half hour earlier,
and the patient was then in articulc
mOrtiS.
The little story went abroad and
caused much local interest. Phyllis was
feted and made much of among her
old friends and neighbors, and treated
as though she We're very extraordinary
young woman indeed. And no wonder;
for in this prosaic age it is but seldom
that woman can lay claim to the honor
Of having inspired knightly devoir.
THE END.