The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1898-02-09

him"
just then the nurse turned sudden
ly from the window, and burly form
which had lain upon sofa near it
sprang vigorously to its feet and strobe
to the bedside.
Madeleine Lanel how dare you?
She must not talkl Have L not for
hidden this sort of thing?"
'She is my mother, Mr.. Lapham,
and you are not my father" said
Madeleine, resolutely. "But I think
it best not to speak to her again, just
now. If l did think best L should do
so"
There was a motion of a thin band
on the coverlet, and it was obeyed.
Madeleine stopped and kissed her
mother, and then glided out of the
sick-room, closely followed by the
wrathful face of old Jacob Lapham.
As for Jefferson Meredith, his walk
to the village had been rapid, and his
first visit was made at the bank. His
next errand was to a dinghy respect
able law office
Judge Wickham," he said to the
white-haired gentleman who well
coined him, miss Lane is somehow
aware that you and Deacon Morris
are executors of her mothers will
-"
81 had an idea, from herself, that 1
was to be one of them"
"And she wishes you to be ready to
act at once. She is not upon good
terms with old Jake and Steve"
"Ughp' exclaimed the old lawyer.
"Tell her I'll be ready"
Perhaps it was as well that Made
leine watched at her window, looking
toward the village, and that jeff was
not again compelled to ring the door
bell, for at the moment when she adj
mitted him old Jacob Lapham was in
the library.
"You take care of the bank book, ;"
she said, when he had swiftly de-
tailed his business doings. Don't
stay"
His face had darkened cloudily over
what she had herself told him, but it
cleared somewhat as he turned away.
Even Madeleine did not hear him say
to himself, aloud, as he was going
down the steps: "Oh, but don't 1
wish 1 could see old Jake and Steve at
work on that safe!"
Madeleine reached her room again
unobserved, all the more safely be-
cause her stepfather was crouching
before that obstinate freproof safe,
twisting the knob to numbers that he
knew, but which the lock refused to
know anything about. He muttered,
too, fiercely, even explosively, and at
last he arose, exclaiming:
"Welll If can't open it, nobody
else can. Sometimes those things will
work so. I've known it happen be-
fore. At any rate, I've got all those
things fixed so that the property can't
get away from me. I'm sole executor,
and the will just nails and clinches the
deeds.
Madeleine fingered in her room
only for long, deep, silent fit of
thinking. At the end of it she arose
from her chair with q hard drawn
breath, aud once more went over to
the sick-room.
The form upon the bed lay very
still, but the loving blue eyes opened
as Madeleine again grasped the thin
hand in hers.
81 gave your message to JEFF,
mother. He sent his love to you
again"
81 wish could see him. Ny son!"
she whispered. 'Say good-by to him
for me, dear. Kiss me, Madeleine.
There-there--good-by."
There was heavy hand upon Mad
eleine's shoulder, as she rose, but she
did not turn her fixed gaze from her
mothers face.
"What does she mean?" he harsh
ly, hoarsely demanded. 'Her son?"
There was no answer in words, but
even Jacob Lapham turned pale, aud
the advancing nurse drew back again,
while Madeleine sank upon her knees
for they were all suddenly aware
that the last messenger had come.
For Madeleine Lane all earthly
things were veiled and put away. That
hour of sobs and silence was no time
to consider questions of property.
There were others in the house,
however, whose business activities
were hindered, very apparently, less by
the presence of death than by the
strange perverseness of the lock of the
safe in the library. The knob of it was
twisted and twisted in the most weari-
some way.
"Steve," remarked an anxious
voice, at last, 1--WE must have that
money out! The deeds and mortgages
must be recorded! Only one will
must be found rherel This is awfuli'
"We've some days yet, father, and
we can blow it open.
"We must do it ourselves, then. 1t
won't do to have anybody else open
that safe. We must let Madeleine
alone, too, until after the funeral"
ST don't care" growled Steve, $50
long as JEFF Meredith is kept out of
the house Her Aunt Wickham is up
there with her now"
Aunt Wlckham remained with Mad
eleine all through the long, dark night
of the first mourning Then followed
the strange days of interval between a
death and a burial. Old Jacob Lap
ham had great deal of walking up
and down in the parlor to do, for he
was bereaved man, with more than