Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1904-02-11
a. CHARLES 9AnvIcz

see III tnefe were any more, and pulled
out the will
Thinking il would be nothing Of iLa
| portance to him, he was thrusting il
back when a cobweb which hung in
one of the corners caught his attention,
and he took it up again and unfolded
! It,
AS he did so a strange presentment
that he was on the eve of discovery
took possession of him, and it was with
a thrill of arlazement that he saw what
the paper really was.
It was the lost will, the last will and
y, testament of the Earl of Arrowhead.
Joan Ormsbys grandfather.
Trembling in every limb. his face
ashen white with excitement, he ran
his eyes over the paper.
Tie legal phraseology did not
trouble him as it had done BERTHE, and
in few seconds he had mastered the
contents.
| It was the Earl of Arrowfield's will,
and it left the whole of the immense
property, with the exception of small
sums to charities and Stuart Villiars.
"to my granddaughter, the child of
Captain Ormsby, of the 116th, now in
India"
With quivering lips and dazzled
eyes, Mordaunt Royce stood and stared
before him into vacancy.
Here were his fondest hopes fully
realized. Here was the will, the lost
will in his hands; in his own hands.
Joan Ormsby was at this moment the
owner of all the immense wealth held
by Stuart Villiars! and she was his,
Mordaunt Royce's promised wife!
II was all plain to him now. BERTHE
HAD bought the picture of old Grad
dock, and, removing the frame for
some reason or other, had discovered
the will concealed within it.
But had ne read it? The frame had
been destroyed just before he came in /;
the pieces were still smouldering in
the fire. Had BERTHE had time to make
himself acquainted with the document,
and, II so, what would be the conse-
quences?
Royce tried to realize the situation.
If BERTHE had not read the will, then
he, Mordaunt Royce, was the only per-
son who knew of its contentsl He
would keep IL concealed until after he
had married Joan, and all would be
well.
If BERTHE had read it.-what should
he, Royce, do?
Then came a still more burning
question.
What was he to do with the will?
Leave it there on the mantel-shelf,
sible! i'he first thing BERTHE would do
when he ha / read it, if he had not done
so already, would be to fly to his law
yer; everything would be known, and
Mordaunt Royce, at the very moment
of victory, would be lost and ruined!
But how could he keep it? He could
net steal It, He could not walk off
with 1t in his pocket. Berthe would
know that he had been there and
would suspect him of the theft! There
was no time to be lost, BERTHE might be
back at any moment.
Desperate. almost frenzied with per-
plexity. he strobe up and down the
room.
Then suddenly, as a streak of light
ming an idea flashed upon him. Taking
out his pen knife he cut off corner of
the paper without injuring the impor-
tant part of the document, and careful
ly putting the viii in his pocket, went
to the fireplace and held the piece he
had cut off to the flames. When about
half of it was burnt, he let the
remainder shoulder until it had be-
come brown and then dropped it care
fully on the hearth.
He had scarcely completed this elab.
crate preparation when BERTHE entered.
Hello RoyCe!' he exclaimed. Been
here long? Sorry to keep you waiting
ran out with Vasel, wanted to see
about the horse"
Never mind the horse for mo-
ment, Dewsbury." he said, holding his
hand and pressing it fervently. Il
ha'N NNAhO W SROdh duOuI Il more I'M
portant matter than the Derby-that
is. to me. l want to thank you for all
you did for Miss Trevelyan last night"
BERTHE flushed, then went pale.
"0h-oh, don't meutioon it, my dear
fellow" he said. awkwardly. II
didn't know you knew Miss Trevelyan.
You never mentioned her-and-and
1t SCENE you are engaged to be mar.
ried to her,"
Yes" said Royce in a low voice
I ought to ask you to forgive me for
being so close about it. my dear BERTHE
but the fact is lover is always shv of
talking about his mistress, and didn't
want her name banded about by pont.
clero and the rest of the fellows There
are some things about which one can.
not stand ckaff."
Il should not have chaffed Won "
said BERTHE, gravely. Il am sorry Won
didn't tell me, Royce. because-be.
cause and he hesitated painfully.
Il know" said Royce. gently, and