The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-05-31

AR. Lumsden heard him 70 the end. Then
an uncomfortable Mt OF laughter seized
him. He rolled IN his chair.
This caps everything ln my professional
ahsurdities. but 1 never came across the
article bef0re-neverF'
Then. b. isn't all rightr'
'An right? It's an absurd forgery Poor
Melville, I knew him Wei in past years.
l always thought he'd a screw loose. and
| now I'm sure Of H. Melancholy Melville
we used TO call him. Poor Melancholy
Melvillc!" Here Mr.. Lumsleu permitted
| himself another hearty laugh. Ny old
friend Mill0ughby was the last man on
earth TO DO such a thing" be resumed.
Melville. poor man. must have wanted %
provide FOR his daughter. sool-hearted
slfL believe, nut as pia-n as "a pike
stan He couldn't hit on any better plan
tnan marrying her 60 you. SO he con-
cocted this precious document .n the hope
I that your careless disposltou-you see.
I've heard your character-wou lead you
| TO gulp il down ike an unpleasant dose
or medicine without Inquiry The law
| yer took up the paper. IT'S a series OF
| blunders from beginning 90 end: Said
| Harry WillOughhy fails 90 marry the said
| Mary Melville within four years from his
| having attained the age OF 2i' BAH
/ That sentence alone proves 10 a forgery.
GU must be aware, Mr.. MlIoughby. that
nobody knows when you attained the age
| OF Il You were supposed 90 ne elgnt or
| nine months old when you were found a
sea. but you may have been only six. OF
| you may have been twelve or eighteen.
Anyway, your age IS dated from your
rescue. But that's not the only blunder.
| see the terms 'neXt-ot-kin' and my
heirs are used. / supposed the conc0ctor
| OF this entertaining document hadn't the
pluck to insert. let us say. Mrs. Melville
and her daughters names But there is
a nearer relative. 50 II this thing were
not a palpable forgery. you would lose
Mere Hall, and SO would the supposed
neXt-Of-lSin."
Indeed Harry exclaimed Mrs
Melville is the late Mr.. Willoughbys sis
ter L was not aware that he had
nearer or any other blood relation"
Perhaps not, l. m not sure that Melville
| is aware OF IL. though he ought 90 be. and
would be If his head was screwed 90 prop
CRY. Anyway. I know very we'll who
| ought to have inherited the Wiloughby
property, and so did my old friend. Under
! tnlS eodicll; OF which you won't fnd the
original a Doctors Commons or anywhere
else. Mr.. Willoughby's daughter inherts."
You astonish mel"
4 daresay l do. Poor Wllouihby only
| saw his daughter once, when she was a
| baby. But she was born I'M Wedlock. and
| her father never doubted that she was
| his child. The mother was mad. She left
| as good man as ever lived for scOundrel
whom TO this day WillOughby's daughter
believes is her father Bless me!-your
| WlIes fantingt'
Mrs. Willoughby. who had fallen back i'm
| her chair under stress OF powerful emo
| TONS recovered instantly, ana smiled at
| her husband. who sat dumbfounded Mr.
Lumsden, who had risen to open a win
| dow, resumed.
when the late Mr.. Willourhby failed to
I
duty, he instructed us 10 draw up an in
strument which. while settling "a small
annuity upon her, forbade her to return
| 10 England, or TO call herself or her daugh-
| ter by the name of Willoughby under pain
| OF forfeiture of the annuity. He could not
| be persuaded to divorce her. He wished
| TO forget that terrible episode of his life
and he shaped his plans so that he might
| never be reminded of It, When the wo-
| man died, he instructed as to pay the
| annuity to the daughter. Here"-A1r.
| Lumsden took up an envelope from the la
| ble-"is draft 1 am about to send to
by what name IS she known?" Harry
! asked, with as much cooiness as he could
assume, knowing well, as he did, what the
| nol-Mary Farnol
do you know where she is?"
| Certainly. In New York. Her adj
! dress is on the envelope"
! You are mistaken. You have surprised
| us; II is our turn to astonish YOU. Per
! haps you win permit me to hand that let
| ter to Miss FarnolY Suiting the action
! e the word Harry gave the envelope to
TO present YOU with check on Mr.. Lums-
| denis behalf" enia 7au fr1
.'Eh What? Whoa Bless my soulr'
cried the lawyer, springlng to his feet
You don't mean to say that you've mar
There's nothing more certain"
| Poor Melvillel Poor Melancholy Mel
! villel" chied Mr.. Lumsden, catching his
! breath. Whatever will become of him
! when he learns that you have married
! the heiress he has been at such pains
! 10 manufacture? Ha. ha, ha, hal Ho no.
| no, hol''
So it was; and such was the justice Of
! fate!
Harry Winoughby declined to prosecute
| the sad-faced forger. Possessing a keen
sense Of humor. he would not spoil a good
! joke IN any such manner
Molly Melville was never told the par
! ticulars of her fathers crime. The fact
! that a crime had been attempted, how
! ever, could not be hidden.
| INC End.