The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1897-07-16
a Missing NJ

at my desk opening my correspond
ence, when i came across letter when
conveyed to me news that considerably
shocked me. My old friend and client,
Sir Douglas Renwood, was dead, and
the letter announcing the sad intelll-
eence was from his nephew, and ran
thus:
- Cottage, Staines, June dear Mr..
Geary: l have to inform you OF the SAD
death Of my uncle. He passed away at ten
O'Clock last night II was all terripiy sua-
den He caught violent chill last week,
which developed into Inflammation OF the
lungs We sent for Dr. Holmes. the Leading
doctor here, but he could do no good, and
the end came last evening.
Il write to you because think 1t desira-
bic that you. as the leading family ADVISER
should come down here at once to arrange
for the funeral and also to 60 into other
matters connected with my poor uncie's
MARK REDWOOD"
"Aha!" said l to myself, as / con-
cludcd the reading of the letter, 1.-The
other matters which Mr.. Mark refers
TO are closely connected to himself.
lie is the next of kin. Douglas died
unmarried. This means 10000 year
TO my young 1Tlenu.
L then proceeded to continue my
work of opening the morning letters,
and, finding that there was nothing of
urgent Importance therein, I deter
mined to act on Mark Renwood's sug-
gestion and go down to Staines with
out delay.
l sent for my head clerk and told
him of my intention, bidding him also
to find out when there was train from
Paddington. He soon returned with the
information that l could catch good
one at 1890, and 1 accordingly drove to
Kcnsington and collected what 1 re-
quircd for the journey, and an hour
later was seated in a first-class car
riagc on my way to Staines.
had announced my coming by tele-
graph from Paddington, and I was
therefore not surprised to find young
Renwood waiting for me when alight-
ed.
He was tall, thin young man, with
strong aquiline features and small, gray
eyes. had known him since he was at
Eton, and he held out his hand to me
with cordial smile.
Il am delighted to see you come so
soon. Mr.. Geary." he said, speaking in
hearty tone, but 1 wish you had
come on more joyous business. This is
sad affair. indeed"
Sad enough" rejoined, land yet we
must all die some day or other-else
where would the young ones come in ?"
The cottage was about half a mile
from the station, and our journey took
us along the river bank. AS we passed
the boathOuse on the slope, hesaid, in
a low voice:
This is the spot where my poor uncle
contracted the chill which caused his
end. He and were walking along this
path one evening, when we heard a cry
for help. and the next moment child s
head appeared above the water. I, of
course. would have plugged in, but, as
you have perhaps noticed, Lam suffer
ing from temporary sprain, and could
not swim an inch. My uncle, knowing
this. threw off his coat, and, swimming
to the spot where the chEd was fast
sinking. rescued it just as the young
ster came up for the third time"
This DR.. Holiness" I queried, twas
he really good man?"
Il believe he is the best doctor in
these parts. Had known things were
so serious l would have wired to town
for our own man, but never dreamed
that such was the case"
Poor old gentleman" 1 said. "And
he was to have been married soon, was
he not?"
Eyes. That is the oldest part Of the
business. He looked forward so much
to giving up the state of hcchelordom
in which he had lived, and now-well,
it's no use talking of the past
"All the same" l could not help re-
marking. dryly, sit is not such a ter
rible thing for you that this marriage
did not take place. Had it done SO
there might have been an heir to the
estate, who would have cut you out most
completely"
He looked up with hasty glance.
"Oh, Mr.. Geary." he said, II canno,
think of things like that at time like
this. My uncle was father to me,
and better than many fathers. I am
well-nigh stunned by the blow>money
matters just now seem to me yery
small, indeed"
We'll, WELL" said, somewhat testify
I'VE cannot do without money, whether
we think OF it or not. But here we arc
at " cottage, for, I suppose, this is
the place"
This is the place." he answered
''Come in"
I followed him into the cottage and
up the stairs, until we came to tho
room where the dead baronet lay.
/ went slowly toward the bed of
which my poor old friend and ellen,
rested. and, drawing aside the sheet
which covered the dead face, took a
last long look on the features knew
so well.
l was reused from my reflections by
the entrance of young Renwood, who
came up to the bedside and pulled ou,
his cigar case, several papers dropping
from his pocket at the time.
Have a cigar!" he said, as stopped
to pick up the papers, and then, seeing
shade of annoyance that 1 could MOI
conceal cross my face at the thought
of smoking at such time and in sucf
place, he said, hastily: perhaps wei
better not smoke, though; it's hardly
decent in a room with death in it."
His sudden glow of proper feeling die
not impress me and merely handed
him the papers he had dropped in 81
lence.
Ono IF <ho-o he h~n1od H.ol~ - -