The record-union., 1896-10-04
enly, before I was able to replace it,

Gascoigne, very pale and shamefaced
There was painful silence for fully
minute; the old mans evil eye seemed
positively to glare upon the offender,
who felt precisely as he felt; and then
Gascoigne said:
1t was mean trick, but I'm heartily
ashamed of myself, and beg your par
don.''
And that is to be the end of it, eh?"
sneered the old man, slowly recovering
from his amazement
Il expect not" said Gascoigne, half
defiantly.
Your cousin ought to be much
opnged TO you." said old Barker with
harsh laugh
She needs the money more than IT,
said Gascoigne
by JoVe! sir, she shall have it, too
What IS more, it shall come to her from
your own hand" roared the old man.
purple in the face
Il don't understand" said Gascoigne
quietly.
~ make a fresh will on the spot"
Very well, sir
y ou shall take it down from nv die
tation''
AS you please. 1t is rather like sign
III my own death warrant" said Gas
co,ge with nervous laugh.
so 1T is; so much the better. serves
you right There's a sheet of paper
ana pen over yonder. Sit you down."
said the old man excitedly.
Poor Gascoigne obeyed silently. and
not without an uncomfortab BILE pang. 1t
was, as he had said uncommonly like
signing his own death warrant: but
after all. it was only what he had an
tlclpated, and he felt a certain sense of
rellef at having unburdened his con-
science
Il suppose you had better have the
PICTURES and the things here" said the
clc man grudgingly. She wouldn't ap-
preciate EN-
Thank you, SIR" said Gascoigne
meekly
There may be few pounds at my
Cank-not worth speaking of In fact,
this will may as we'll be in similar terms
as the last, with your name and Mar
garet's reversed" said old Barker, with
mis- malevolent old eye glistening.
Margaret is to be residuary legatee,
IN fact" said Gascoigne with a sinking
heart
Yes. How much do people say I'm
worth?"
"One hundred thousand pounds at
least" answered Gascoigne, with as
sumed diffidence.
"Ah! good round sum to lose for a
little curiosity, isn't it?" sneered old
Barker
1T can't be helped" said Gascoigne
philosophically.
Indeed it can't. Now are you
ready?"
Yes" said Gascoigne, grasping his
pen firmly.
The old man dictated, and the sight
OF his nephews ill-concealed discomfit-
ure was evidently SO amusing to him
that he paused at frequent intervals to
chuckle and laugh. At length, however,
Gascoigne's penance was ended; wit
nesses were procured; and the will was
duly signed. Old Barker took posses
sion of it, and when his nephew de-
rarted-for naturally the evening soon
tagged after this exciting epiSode-the
cid man said:
Good night. What a fool you have
been! Those pictures and things are
not worth a quarter of what / gave for
them Still 1 suppose you will get a
couple OF thousand clear.
More than 1 had any right to ex-
rect," said Gascoigne, as heartily as he
could.
More than you deserve, you mean.
Shake hands,"
You've forgiven me?"
"Yes; but you'll never forgive your
self! You were a fool to look at the
viii, but you were worse fool to tell.
If you hadn't, should very likely never
have missed it," said the old man, leer-
ing at him.
This was not exactly consolatory to
Gascoigne, who, though he realized the
satisfaction Of having relieved his con-
science, experienced the natural disap-
pointment Of a man who has wantonly
thrown away vast fortune. 1t is true
that he had always expected this, and
at least he had saved something out of
the fire. But it was bitter pill, and it
was fortunate that his professional en-
gagements prevented him from brood
ing over his disappointment. He was
also spared any further discussion on
the subject with his uncle, for within a
week the old man had an apoplectic
seizure from which he never rallied.
Gascoigne was, of course, summoned to
his uncle's bedside, but the patient was
unconscious, and in that state he passed
away. His will was nowhere to be
found, but in searching for it Gas
coigne came across a note addressed to
him by the deceased, stating that the
document was in the custody of his So
licitor, and requesting GaScoigne to see
this gentleman at once before commu-
nicating with his cousin. The young
man naturally lost no time in calling
upon Mr.. Bush of Lincoln's Inn, an old
friend and client of his uncle's, and he
was perhaps trif1e disappointed when
the lawyer placed In his hands the
identical document which he had him
self assisted to prepare.
Il thought, perhaps, my uncle might
have made a subsequent WILL" he OBJ
served half voluntarily.
He could not have made a will more
favorable to you," said old Mr.. Bush.
His pictures and things must be
worth 10000 at the very lowest esti-
mate, and his bank balance-which he
leaves you also-amounts to rather
more, as 1 happen to know. | should
think you will take altogether f3OO 900
when the effects are realized.
1T is an agreeable SURPRISE" muir
INJURED Gascoigne. Still my cousin is
residuary legatee, which means, l sup
pose, f15O,OOO."
Nothing of the kind, my dear sir
exclaimed Mr.. Bush. "The lady will
only get the proportion of his annuity
due at the date Of his death-perhaps
II 600 or so.'
What" gasped Gascoigne. 'dis an
nuity!'