The Irish standard., 1900-02-10
CHAPTER III.-CoNr1NuED.

CHAPTER DISCONTINUED.
DIR. Morton looked up anxiously as
Stanton entered his office little later.
His face was deathly pale. -
noticing the physicians extended hand,
he asked:
''Do you recall my uncle's death?"
There was but one construction
which a physician could place upon
such a combination of incidents, and
he replied, in soothing tone:
"Certainly, Mr.. Stanton, certainly.
Be seated, sir. 1t was trouble which
is unmanageable only in advancing
years. 1t was"
DO you remember the night and
all the incidents?" Stanton interrupt
ed.
''Why, yes, yes. 1T was the night of
the storm and the fire. I remember,
certainly"
"And the moment of his death?"
Stanton asked, hurriedly.
81 don't know-let me see. There was
the stroke of apoplexy, and later the
heart failure"
'The storm" Stanton began.
ssWas only an incident, Mr.. Stanton.
Matters had simply reached crisis
and waited an excuse. Had the heart
trouble been taken in time"
'You are sure that the death was not
from the apoplexy?"
positively. In spite of thousands of
reports to the contrary, it is a law that
never has been and never will be vio-
lated that man cannot die of simple
:apoplexy in less than 48 hours after
the shock"
''Then the immediate cause of his
death was"
''Heart failure, Mr.. Stanton. Moth
ing else. 1t was simply the crash of
those falling walls. Up to that mo-
nent he was improving. It made even
our strong hearts stop for an instant.
Have you noticed anything in your
self making you fear inherited tenden-
.cies?''
Nothing whatever. You must ex-
cuse me. I am in haste" Stanton re-
piled.
"Your face was very pale when you
came in. Now it is painfully flushed.
You should keep an eye on the action
of your heart, and"
II will bear it in mind" Stanton re-
piled as he left the office.
He stopped next at Mr. Borden's, but
the clergyman was away, and there was
no time to lose. He hurried on to Judge
Russell's.
"Hello, Stanton" the forgiving old
man exclaimed. "Lt's years since you've
honored us with social call. Come out
in the sitting-room. The wifes there
by an open fire."
mot tonight, judge" Stanton said,
with something almost sigh. I'm out
of hours, but 1 must consult you pro-
fessionally. It's about the date of my
uncle's DEATH
"Why, goodness, man, l don't remem-
Der exactly, this minute. J. have it at
the office, and can give it to you the first
thing in the morning. Or send over and
get the date of the will. He died the
same night, you know"
II have the date of the will. What
want is what you personally remem-
ber."
"H'm. Well, remember the storm
and the fire, that night. My Ruth was
very sick, and the wife was with her
when you came for me, and went with
you without so much as telling her, not
thinking Id be gone q half hour; but
it was after IL before left your house.
I left suddenly when those walls fell in.
The fire was near US, and knew the
wife would be frightened. Why, didn't
even know of your uncle's death till the
next morning. But, if the date of the
will and the storm and the fire are not
enough, look up the death certificate.
My memory wouldn't help anything"
'"The date on the death certificate is
thesame as the will-December 5, 1882"
Stanton replied.
"Well,' the judge muttered. "And-
Stanton! For Heavens sake! That
was ten years ago tonight! Oh, Stan
ton. are you crazy?"
II think not" said Stanton.
"You are! You are!" cried the judge.
@'Do you know that some one else will
claim the property?"
"The papers were served to-day"
"Do you know who the claimant ISL"
II met him once year ago." said
Stanton. The judge was too excited to
see the muscles Of his face contract.
"Met him once, did you?" the judge
almost shouted, with sneer. met him
the time he walked away with your
wife, did you? Well, sit down, young
man, and keep quiet. I have something
to say to you. I'm pledged to your uncle
never to speak, but will. You deserve
it. Your uncle and your mother were
turned out of their home when your
mother was only child to make room
for a daughter born to their stepmoth-
er. They never saw their father again,
or their half-sister, but years after
wards a fellow named Raymond-the
father of the one you met-settled
down on John Olmstead, calling himself
his brother-in-law, loafing on him, liv-
ing on him, cheating him, even forging
his name time and again. Why, for the
last ten years of his life John Olmstead
couldn't be forced to repeat the name
of Raymond. But this son, by some ras-
cality, got hold of some papers that