Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1896-08-26
VOL. L.
CHAPTER. TX.


would bring forth and how he should best
meet the questions that would be put to
him.
Smerdon was gone again to Occleve
Chase. SO he could take no counsel from
him; and. in a way, he was almost glad
that he had gone, for he knew
what that advice would be-that he
should pretend utter ignorance as to the
reasons Cundall might have had for max
ing him the inheritor Of all his vast
wealth, and on no account to acknowledge
the brotherhood between them.
But he told himself that, even had
Smerdon been there to give such advice.
1t would not have been acceptable: that
he would not have followed it.
He had wavered for many days now as
to what course he should take, had had
impulses to speak out and acknowledge
the secret of his and his brothers life, had
been swayed by Smerdon's arguments
and by the letter he had received at the
hotel, but now there was to be no more
wavering; all was to be told.
1t was about midday that, as he was
seated in his study writing a long letter
to SmerdOn, explaining exactly what he
had now taken the determination of do
Ing, the footman entered with two cards
on which were the names Of "Mr. For
dyce. Paper Buildings" and "Mr: A
Stuart"
They came In together; Mr.. Fordyce in
Producing himself as the solicitor of the
late Mr.. Cundall, and Mr.. Stuart bowling
gravely.
Then Lord Penlyn motioned to them
both to be seated.
II received your letter last night" he
said to the secretary, ''and, although
may tell you at once that there were. per-
haps, reasons why Mr. Cundall should
have left me his property, l was still con-
siderably astonished at hearing be had
done So"
Reasons, my lordw Mr.. Fordyce said,
looking up from a bundle of papers which
he had taken from his pocket and was
beginning to unite. Reasons! What
reasons, may l ask?"
1.-THE reason" he answered, looking
straight at both of them, ''is that he and
] were brothers"
Brothers, they both exclaimed to-
gether. while Stuart fixed his eyes upon
him with an incredulous look, though in
1t there was something else besides in
credulity, look of suspicion and dislike"
This is a strange story, Lord Penlyn,"
the lawyer said after q moment.
Yes" the other answered. And you
will perhaps think it still more strange
when / tell you that l myself did not
know Of it until week ago"
Then he told them, very faithfully,
everything that had passed between him
and Walter Cundall, from the night on
which he had come to Blacks Club, and
they had had their first interview in the
park, down TO the letter that had been
written on the night of the murder.
Nor did he omit to tell them II wa.
only a month previous to Cundalps dis
closing himself. that he and Philip Smer.
don had made the strange discovery at
lie Vocq that his father, to all appear
.aees, had had asprevious wife, and had.
also, to all appearances, left an elder son
behind him.
If there was anything he did not think
II necessary to tell them it was the vio-
lence of his behavior to Cundall at the in
terview they had had in that very room,
and the curse he had hurled after him
when he was gone, and the wish that ''he
was dead"
That curse and that wish which had
been fulfilled so terribly soon after their
expression, had weighed heavily on his
heart ever since the night of the murder.
he could not repeat 1t now to these men.
1T is the strangest story l ever heard"
SIR FOrdyce said. 1.-The very strangest!
And, as We have found no certificates of
either his mothers marriage or his own
birth, we must conclude that he destroyed
them. But the letter that you have
shown us, which he wrote to you, is sufii-
cient proof OF your relationship. Though,
Of course, as he has named you fully and
perfectly in the will there would be no
need Of any proof Of your relationship"
10 narfS ipfl exrh IN
murdered him, also stole his watch and
pocketbook, probably with the idea of
making it look like common murder for
robbery. The certificates were perhaps
In that pocketbook!"
DO you not think it was common
murder for robbery" Lord Penlyn asked
him.
mo, l do not" Stuart answered, look
ing him straight in the face. There was
O reason for it,
"What reason:"
THAT, the murderer knows best"
1t was impossible for Penlyn to dis
guise from himself the fact that thi.
young man had formed the opinion in his
mind that he was the murderer.
His manner, his utter tone of contempt
when speaking to him, were all enough
to show in what light he stood in Stuart's
eyes.
Il understand you," he said, quietly.
Stuart took no notice of the remark,
but he turned to Mr.. Fordyce and said:
did it not seem strange to you that Lord
Penlyn should have been made the heir,
when you drew the willF
II did not draw it," Mr.. Fordyce said,
'.or should in all probability have made
some inquiries-though, as n matter of
fact. II was no business Of mine to whom
he left his money. As 1 see there is one
Spanish name as a witness, it was prob
ably drawn by an English lawyer in
Honduras, and executed there"
.Since it appears that 1 am his heir"
Lord PenIyn said, Il should wish to see
the will. Have you it with you?"
Yes" Mr.. Fordyce said, producing the
will from his bundle Of papers, and hand
ing it to him, sit is here"
The young man took it from the law
ser, and spreading it out before him, read
it carefully.
The perusal did not take long, for it was
Ct the shortest possible description, sim
ply stating that the whole of everything
he possessed. was given and beGueathed
By him TO "Gervase Courteney st. John
Occleve, Viscount Penlyn, in the Peerage
of Great Britain, OF Occleve House. Lon
don. and Occlevc Chase, Westshire."
With tbs exception that the bequess
was enveloped in the usual phraseoloss
uf lawyers, 1t might have been drawn up
by his brotksr's own hand, 20 clear and
simple was It
And 1t was perfectly regular, both In
the Signature Of the testator and the wit
nesses.
The two men watched him as he bent
ever the win and read 1t, the lawyer look
lns 1t him from under his thick, bushy
syebfows, and Mr.. Stuart with nxed
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