The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1897-02-19

said, after musing some time, 'if it
be the will of Providence that my
Rose shall never inherit her fathers
estate, then it is my desire that it
pass into the hands of Miles OFFER
guson, and his heirs, with the ex-
ception of a small house and lot in
New York, which 1 would like Mr..
Greenberry to have, to dispose of
as he may think BEST There s
policy in allowing Greenberry a
small share-it looks more death
bed like, and more creditable than
to make a clean sweep for OFFER
guson, and leave Harry nothing.
Ha ha! ha! That's faceable story
amt it, O'Ferguson? What do
you say, Davy, with your counsel
wise head? Ha ! ha ha!'
"That will do-that will do adj
mirably. But how will the dubious
Davy ever be able to perform his
part?' inquired O'Ferguson.
"I'll make sure that the doughty
Davy does the thing that is polite"
said Mel, with his usual gayety, if
| may be allowed to term such
fiendish pleasure mirthful.
"But we cannot touch the estate
until the time of the daughters
non age is expired, unless Green
berry will give up peaceably, which
is not likely said O'Ferguson;
"but your deposition can be taken
in writing, and placed in the hands
OF magistrate for preservation,
should any misfortune befall the
witnesses before the time transpires
for testing the matter before court
of justice. And, when once in the
possession of that estate, we can
wreak terrible vengence on our old
enemies, Fletcher and Dinby,
whose farms lie contiguous, and as
you know, Helen, were taken up
under the same survey, and were
afterwards patented off in planta-
tions, to subsequent and smaller
purchasers. Well, by examining
the dates of the several patents, we
find the estate of John James
Tomlin bears the oldest in the
manor. BY the negligent way of
executing their business, common
to our ancestors, the patents OF
these three estates, Tomlin's
Fletcher's and Dinby's, are allowed
to overlap to a considerable extent.
But Tomlin's, as l have said, being
the most ancient, must be filled first
to do which it will require half
their estates"
"Now, if Greenberry persists in
keeping possession of the estate till
the time specified by the will has
expired, the only course left us to
pursue is to counteract his sway
over the property as much as pos
sible, by an injunction; and enter
suit against Fletcher and Dinby, to
lie on the docket till Greenberry is
ousted from the estate. And then
for vengence! My God! And
then for vengeance Helen, you
will attend to this business if |
shouldn't live to see it tconsummated.
But l will live-I won't die! |
will see the end! I have struck
friend and foe who stood between
us and vengeance! / have drained
many a bitter cup to the dregs, and
! will quaff the sweet one! But,
Helen, you shall finish, if l fail,
what lifetime has been too short
to accomplish. Swear it! ~ the ick
man shouted wildly, lashed into
delirium by the bewildered state OF
his own thoughts, that thus wildly
held their dark career.
"I swear!" the hag replied, in as
wild a tone as her father. 81
swear!" and the old hall reverbe
rated from dome to cellar. 81
swear!"
The old man, exhausted by his
efforts of body and mind, sunk back
on the bed, while his eyes glared
wildly from beneath the gray hair
that fell dishevelled about his
brOws.
He lay calm for a moment, and
then pointed his skinny finger to-
wards the opposite wall, while deep
ening horror was depicted on his
front, exclaiming wildly
"Look! There he is! | see him
pointing with his menaciug finger!
He frowns and threatens me with
his ghastly, menacing look Oh,
God !" and his words were lost in
the deafening clap of thunder that
burst over the house.
A ball of fire ran down the wall,
and sparkled with a blue florid
blaze.
"Oh, Heavens" !" exclaimed Mel,
bursting through the room door, and
half springing, half tumbling down
the stairway, into the dark passage
beneath, followed by the dumb,
terror stricken Davy, who rushed
headlOng into the obscure recess,
behind Mel, rolling and tumbling
down the steps, till the broken floor
beneath brought up, with sundry
bruises on his head, arms and body,