Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1904-07-28

) Only One !
; CHARLES ~ Love s
GARVICE
]. /



think that he was conscious Of what he
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 will. 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 I executed for
him; 1t Is the will locked up in the
safe upstairs. have a copy at the
office" he added, dryly
"You-you don't think there Is any
other--any other later will?" he asked,
softly.
II did not think so until an hour ago.
am not sure that think so now. DO
your"
mo, "he said shaking his head. "My
uncle was not the man to- draw up a
will with his own hand. and his conf.
dence, and ! may say affection for you,
were 80 great that he would net have
gone to any other legal adviser To do 1t
for him. No, do not think there Is any
other will of course, do not know the
contents OF the will in the safe
''Of course not" said Mr.. Hudsley, in
a tone so dry that It seemed to rasp
his throat.
"And yet | cannot understand my
poor uncle's outbreak, except by at.
tribuling II to delirium."
Hem" said Mr.. Hudsley. We'll,
In case there should have been any
meaning and Significance In 1t, my
clerk and | will make careful search
tomorrow"
YES" murmured Stephen, and |
devoutly trust that should later win
be in existence, you may find 1t"
Il hope W. may" said Mr.. Hudsley
"Good-night!'
stephen accompanied him to the
door, IN he bad 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"
1t makes worse coward of Stephen
Davenant than he was naturally. AS
he stood in the deserted hall, and
looked round at It's vast dimness, at
the carved gallery and staircase,
somber and dull for want of varnish,
and listened to the faint, ghostly noises
made by the awe. stricken servants
moving to and fro overhead, a 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
y,
him, the eyes seemed to follow him,
and with shudder that shook him
from head to foot he poured out u glass
OF brandy aud 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
lie even smiled in a ghostly kind of
fashion ms he took the will from his
pocket and opened It,
Poor Jack" he murmured, with n
sardouic display of the white teeth.
This no doubt makes you master of
Hurst Leigh; but Providence has dc.
creed that the spondthrrt shall be dis
appointed, Yes, am the humble in
strumeut chosen, aim"
He stopped suddenly with a start,
for he had been reading as he solil-
uqui2ed, and he had come upon words
that struck him to the very hearts
core
Was he dreaming, or had his senses
taken leave Of him?
With beating heart and white,
parChod lips he stared at the paper
until the lines Of Grabbed handwriting
danced before his astounded eyes.
II hrcyity is the soul OF wit, old
Ralph Davenant's will was wit itself,
It consisted Of five paragraphs.
The first was merely the usual pre-.
amhle declaring the testator to be of
sound mind
The second ran thus;
TO John Newcomhe | will and he
Queath 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
lludsley
Enough in this to move stephen,
but It palod into instgnihemce before
what followed:
TO my nephew, stephen Daveuant,
| will and heuuoath the set of Black $