Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1901-09-12

son, executed by me, and signed by
him, about three years ago. desire
to read 1t aloud, that his heirs may
know the terms of 1t, and be somewhat
guided by the wishes of the deceased,
which cannot now, as here expressed.
be enforced by law, the present instru-
ment being made valueless by Mr..
Grayson's' subsequent marriage. But I
think am right in my conjecture that
the heir or heirs of Mr.. Philip Gray
sons wealth will desire TO carry out
certain requests herein specified"
A murmur of appreciation answered
these words.
Mr.. Baldwin proceeded to read the
will, which, skipping legal formalities,
was in substance as follows:
To his attached friend, DIR. Sprague,
Mr.. Grayson bequeathed $4,000; to
Carl, his valet, $4,000; to Martha
Dodge, cook. $4,000: to William Forbes.
coachman, $4,000: to each of his nieces,
Bertha and Lefty Martin, $20,oo0;. to
his afflicted brother, Robert Grayson.
$4,000: to various religious and benev-
client societies, each specified by name,
$4,000 each. The balance, including
houses, silver, diamonds, and every
kind of properly, to his dear sister
Kate. widow of James Martin. de-
ceased, for the term of her natural life.
and at her death to be evenly divided
among her children and grandchildren.
A cry of irrepressible JOY broke from
the lips of Kate Martin. In the depth
of her delight she forgot that subse-
quent events had rendered this magni-
.ficent-this glorious and just and gen.
erous-will so much waste paper.
When that reflection flashed upon
her. it seemed for a moment or two as
If her heart would die within her, the
reaction was so great. But she was
plucky woman, and with all her
strength she struggled for composure.
Oh, If that blow which killed Philip
had only been struck the night before
the bridal, instead of an hour after!
But things might have been worse.
The bridegroom might have lived to
make new will-to bequeath all-with
an old mans infatuation, to the young
wife who had supplanted old friends
and relatives. All was not lost. She
must be composed and grateful that
matters were not worse yet than they
were.
and at inst his words seemed confused
and meaningless to Mrs. Martin; then
came wild ringing in her ears, and a
thought that the whole universe had
turned upside down.
"And now, ladies and gentlemen,
have to read the only legal will Of my
client-the last will and testament of
Philip Grayson-the former will having
already given"
"What last will? What do you mean,
sir?" gasped Kate Martin, hardly con-
scious that the words had escaped her
lips.
ga will prepared by me, according to
my clients directions, and duly signed
by him, and witnessed by his valet,
Carl, and his coachman, William"
The room seemed turning round with
Mrs. Martin-the light turned into
darkness; the ringing in her cars con-
increased, but through it oil she
heard and understood the lawyers
voice as it went on, each word sound
ing like the reading of her death war;
rant.
"I, Philip Grayson, being of sound
mind and body, declare this to be my
last will and testament: I hereby re-
woke all former wills by me made and
signed, and give and bequeath to my
dear and beloved wife, Clarice Grayson,
nee Mowbray, everything of which I
die pccse ssed, desiring only that size
will carry out such special bequests to
servants and others (specified in my
former Willy as may seem good to her.
Once more name my darling wife as
sole heir to every kind of property now
belonging to me, or to which I may
hereafter tec.,:nc entitled, and make
but one proviso to this heirship-name-
ly, that she, my wife, Clarice, shall re-
main single all her life, for my sake,
living and dying an honorable widow.
If, however, in defiance of my wish in
this respect, my wife should at any
future time marry again, revoke all
the aforesaid disposition of my proper
ty, leaving it as it may then stand to
be equally divided between my brother
Robert and my sister Kate, subject
only to such special requests as are
mentioned in my previous will. and at
their death the whole to. be equally di-
vided among their descendants"
Mr.. Baldwin ceased speaking, folded
the will and laid it on the table. Then,
turning to Clarice. he said, bowling pro-
foundry annd with much feeling:
Madam, congratulate YOU
Clarice had been as pale as marble
while the second will had been read,
but at the clause forbidding her mar
riage as possible contingency. a wave
Of indignant color had spread over
ner face and threat, and Ter lustrous
eyes emitted a single brief flash of an
ger.
The next moment she was quite self
possessed, and ready to respond, with
becoming ease and calmness, to the
lawyers words of congratulation. But
a commotion at the further end of the
room prevented her. There was stl-
fled cry-something between a moan
and gasping sigh-and a graceful,
black-robed figure swayed forward and
slipped heavily to the floor.
For the first and only time in her life,
Kate Martin had tainted.
CHAPTER XIV.
The Schemer Overreaches Herself.
1t was fully ten minutes before Mrs.
MOI Ut in 1,o