The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1898-10-15

him.
George. that your father has passed quiet
" away, - he said, with that professional
" solemn air that lawyers can assume
when occasion demands.
The Young N II standing with his back
turned, gazing out upon the Park, made
no response.
"Before be drew his last breath asked
him three times whether he would see
Won again, but he firmly declined. You
caused him the most intense dIspleasure
by your refusal to grant his request,
the solicitor continued.
cam I not my own master, Harrison?
the young man snapped. turning to him
sharply.
Certainly the other answered rails
ing his grey eyebrows. 81 admit that L
have no right whatever to interfere with
your private affairs, but l certainly can
not regard your attitude and your Iather
subseouent action without considerable
regret. -
"Apart from my professional connec-
ton with the Stratfeld estate have been
you will remember, friend of your 1asn-
er's through many years, therefore 1t pains
me to think that in sir ohn's dying
moments you should have done this.
George Strattield glanced quickly at the
white haired lawyer. Then he said:
81 suppose my father has trea ed me
badly at his death as he did throughout
his life
Eyes"
aWell. let me know the worst the
young man exclaimed. signing, Heaven
knows don't expect very much.
"When the will is formally read you
will know everything" the other an
swered dryly
IA moment ago you said you were
friend of my fathers. Surely # you are
.-n,, mi mt yaan me- in SuSD6nS0 regard
lug my future.
= swered the lawyer, his sphinx-like face re-
laxing into cold smile.
"Why?''
p' SN sa' anythingan gasped the young
man blankly, HThen am penniless?"
Inc solicitor nodded, and opening a
paper he had held behind him on enter
ing. said: ,s
hour ago Sir John expressed desire to
make an addition to his will, and entirely
AGAINST my inclination made me write
what YOU see here. He signed it while
still in his right mind, the two doctors
witnessing it, 1t Is scarcely profession
al proceeding to show it to you at this
early stage, nevsrtheless perhaps, as you
are the SOD of my old friend, and IL SO
closely concerns your future welfare, you
may as well know the 5 truth at once
Read for yourself"
George took the paper in his trembling
fingers and read the six long lines OF
writing, the ink OF which was scarcely
vet dry. Three times he read them ere he
could understand their exact purport.
The cold formal words crushed all JOY
from his heart, for he knew, alas that
the woman he loved could never be his.
1t was the death-warrant to all his
hopes and aspirations. de could notsnoW
ASK Liane to be his wife.
With set teeth he sighed, flung down the
will upon the table with an angry ges-
ture, and casting himself again INTO MS
armchair, sat staring straight before MIN
without uttering word
In addition to BEING cruel ana unJust
the codicil was certainly OF most extra
ordinary character. BY it there was be-
queathed to my son George Basil STRAIT
field" the sum of .-one hundred thousand
pounds on one condition only, namely.
that within two years he married Marietta
daughter of a certain Madame Lepage,
whose address was given as ~, Hue
Toullier, Paris. If. however, it was dis.
covered that Marietta was already mar
ried. or If she refused to accept the twen-
ty thousand pounds that were to be
offered her on condition that she consented
to marry his son, then one-haf the
amount, namely, $50, 900, was to be paid
manning $50, 600, together with the G2O,-
600, was to revert to his elder brother.
sit certainly is a most extraordinary
disposition old Mr.. Harrison reflected
aloud, taking up the will again and re-
reading the words he had written at his
dead clients dictation.
"How does my father think can marry
a woman I've never seenF' cried the son.
"Why the things absolutely absurd. lie
must have been insane when he ordered
you to write such prepesterous pro-
posal."
answ cred the elder man, calmly. 81
confess myself quite as surprised as
you are; nevertheless. il is certain that
unless you Offer marriage to this mysteri-
GUS young person you will obtain moth
ing 49, aor
cried in tone full of bitterness and dis
appointment 81 desire to marry Lame
the woman adore, and in order to pre-
vent me he seeks to bind me to some IN
known Frenchwoman."
"Weu in any case, effort might be
made to find her, Harrison observed.
You su rely viii not let fifty t thousand
pounds slip through your fingers. Thele
Is a chance that she is already married,
or that she will refuse the twenty thous
and pounds which I shall be compelled to
offer her."
s'But will only marry Liane." George
cried, impetuously.
"My dear young man, yours is a mere
foolish fancy. You cannot, nay you must
not, render yourself d pauper merely be-
cause of this girl, who happens to have
attracted you just for the moment. In
a years time you will regard the matter
from oommonsense point of view. Your
proper course is to give up all thought of
the young Lady. and unite with me in the
search for this mysterious Marietta Lee
page"
III decline to Fabsndon LANE" George
answered with promptness. IF am
pauper, well, must bear it. My ruin is,
I suppose. the last of my fathers eocen.
triciJies I'm the scapegoat of the
family"
"It is, nevertheless, my duty to advise
You, the elder man went on standing
before the empty fireplace With his arms
folded. "In any case l shall be compelled
so find this woman. Have you never
heard your late father speak OF any
family of the name of LepageP"
Never. He has not been out OF Eng
To- nd for teUeDtv uaara therpfQra / SuDDOEe