Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1901-03-29

address as the Office of the newspaper.
but after four or five days I received a
call from him in person. He gave me
his name as James Bennett and his
address as London and left me TO infer
that he was a man of leisure.
was not exactly pleased with Mr..
Benefits personal appearance. He
was tall, dark faced man of troubled
countenance. His eyes had q furtive
look, and he was nervous and III at
ease. Had met him while travelling
should have been inclined to look upon
him with suspicion. He told straight
enough story, however, though a rather
queer one. Being left an orphan at the
age of II years, he had been brought
up by an uncle living In Hartford coun-
ty. He had always been given to un-
derstand that he would be his uncle's
heir. and he was sure that a will had
been made to that effect, but three
years previous to his call on me the
uncle had passed away, no will had
been found, and the property had gone
to the next of kin. While the uncle
was rich, he was also an eccentric. Be-
ing a single man and living almost
alone, he had been almost a hermit.
The house he had occupied was a ram
bling old structure at best and now
that 1t had been untenanted for several
years was in a bad state. What Mr..
Bennett had come to believe was that
the will was concealed in the old house.
He had searched and searched without
avail, and he wanted my assistance for
a new search. There might be secret
closets he had passed over. If would
give him my faithful services for three
days, he would pay me 925. If the
will was found, he would present me
with f200 more. l was to say nothing
of my quest, make my appearance at
the old house on certain date, and he
would assist in the search.
didn't like Benefits personal an
pearance and actions, as / have said,
but there was nothing out of the way
with his story, and I was glad to ac-
cept his offer. 1t would be combining
romance with business to come upon
the hidden will and restore the ousted
heir to his own. His caution to me to
make my way alone from the nearest
ftation without asking or answering
ANSSe4Oho ihf5hl nav Z SGclueu queer out
for the tact that we would both be tres
passers while making the search.
had not single suspicion | was to
arrive by train which would enable
me after a walk of three miles to ar
rive at the old house at dark. and he
would have provisions at hand and fix
mp the best lodgings he could. was
especially warned not to betray my
destination to any one I happened 20
meet en- route, and ] was to bring no
baggage.
All these things seemed all right to
me at the time. I reached the station
by the train named. but found the
distance TO the house 10 be five miles
instead Of three. This brought about
my arrival quite a spell after dark,
and Bennett was waiting for me a
quarter or a mile up the road. The
first question he asked was IL any one
had spoken to me, and when ! assured
him that even the people at the station
did not know where I was bound for
he was somewhat elated. I found he
had provisions for cold lunch, bat
nothing very appetizing, while we
must sleep on the bare boards OF the
family sitting room. 1t was while eat
Ing supper that I noticed q wild,
strange look in the mans face and be.
gan to doubt him. He was restless
and distract and Watched NJ IN a
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