Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1904-08-01

Only One !
} CHARLES - Love s
GARVICE
an..an-..en-..--ar-..-

Don't you. Mr.. Hudsley? Do you
think that he was conscious OF what ne
was saying? You have been his legal
adviser and confidant for years; you
would know whether there was any
meaning in his incoherent statement
about the viii. AS you are no doubt
aware. my poor uncle never preached
the subject of his intentions to me.
Il know Of only one will-that OF
last year. That will / executed for
him; il is the will locked up in the
once" he added, dryly.
"You--you don't think there is any
other-any other later will?" he asked
softly.
Il did not think so until an hour ago.
I am not sure that think so now. DO
your"
"No."he said. shaking his head. MY
uncle was not the man to draw up
will with his own hand, and his conf
dence. and ! may say affection for you,
were so great that he would not have
gone to any other legal adviser to do 1t
for him. No. / do not think there is any
other will OF course, l do not know the
contents OF the will in the safe.'
] "Of course not" said Mr.. Hudsley, in
tone so dry that it seemed to rasp
his throat
And vet cannot understand my
poor uncle's outbreak, except by at
tributing il to delirium."
IIsfdclou HWRll
in case there should have been any
meaning and significance in 1t, my
clerk and I will make careful search
: tomorrow"
yes" murmured Stephen, "and /
devoutly trust that should later viii
be in existence, you may find il.
Il hope we may" said Mr.. Hudsley.
Goodnight"
Stephen accompanied him to the
door. as he had accompanied the doc
tor and Jack, and saw him into the
brougham, and then turned back into
the house with a look of release, which,
however, gradually changed to one OF
lurking fear and indefinite dread.
Conscience makes towards OF us
all"
II makes a worse coward of Stephen
] Davenant than he was naturally. AS
he stood in the deserted hall, and
4 looked round. at its vast dimness, at
the carved gallery and staircase,
somber and dull for want Of varnish,
and listened TO the faint, ghostly noises
Il made by the awe stricken servants
moving TO and fro overhead, chill
crept over him. and he wished that he
had kept one of them, even Jack, to
bear him company.
+. With fearful gaze he peered into
the darkness. scarcely daring TO cross
the hall and ente rthe library. For
all the stiffness, he fancied he could
/ hear that last shrek Of the dying man
ringing through the house; for all the
darkness. the slim, bent figure seemed
. TO be moving TO and fro, the dark
\ piercing eyes turned upon him with
furious accusation. Even when he
had summoned up courage TO enter
the library, locking the door after
him, the eyes seemed to follow him,
and with a shudder that shook him
1 from head to foot he poured out glass
OF brandy and drank ii down.
The Spirit Of Evil certainly invented
brandy for towards.
Stephen set down the empty glass
and looked round the room-another
man.
He even smiled in a ghostly kind Of
fashion as he took the will from his
'pOcket and opened it.
Poo Jack!" he murmured, with a
sardonic display of the white teeth
This no doubt makes you master OF
Hurst Leigh; but Providence has de-
creed that the spendthrift shall be dis
appointed. Yes, / am the humble in
strument chosen. i am
He stopped Suddenly with a start,
fo- he had been reading as he solil-
oquized, and he had come upon words
that struck him TO the very hearts
core.
Was he dreaming, or hsc his senses
taken leave Of him?
With beating heart and white,
parched lips he stared at the paper
until the lines Of grabbed handwriting
danced before his astounded eyes.
II brevity is the soul of wit, old
Ralph Davenant's will was wit itself.
1t consisted Of FIVE paragraphs.
The first was merely the usual pre-
amble declaring the testator to be OF
sound mind
/ The second ran thus:
ITO John Newcombe will and be-
uueath the sum of fifty thousand
pounds. the said sum TO be realized by
the sale or transfer of bonds and
stocks, at the discretion Of James
Hudsley."
Enough in this 10 move Stephen,
but it paled into insignificance before
what followed:
ITO my nephew, Stephen Davenant,
7 viii and bequeath the set of Blacks
-,-.,.cv,.. "a 8v-amFx-mina volumes stand