The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1906-06-20

clutcheQ the D2ck ol cuall Will po.n
hands. Not dead?"
TON has turned up again, none the
worse. He has only been a prisoner
among the Arabs, and he got back
safe. I don't quite know how long it
takes to get from Suakim to London,
but we may be pretty certain that
he'll cover that distance in the short.
est time on record
"Ohw There was a conscientious,
heartfelt ring about the interJect1on.
The deepest grief, the most profund
despair, the most bitter helplessness-
all were there.
"Well, Harriet" her husband con-
tinued, "it's no use shutting our eyes.
Out we go, my dear. We needn't go
lust vet; when Tom comes home he
shall find us keeping the house warm
because we couldn't get tenant; and
as for what we have spent, trust me
for running up bill of costs, ana
throwing dust in his eyes"
"Jem, you are fool.'
"Why, my dear?'
What does it matter about the
past? It's the future-oh, my God, II
is the future. What shall We do?"
Jem, who had been walking aboiE
the room, sat down and faced her with
a look of bewilderment.
"I don't know, Harriet. If I only
Dull through this business-why it's
a" She understood not one word
Of what he meant. Good heavens!
If pull through-it seems hardly to
matter what becomes of US after
wards"
1--WE shall have to 60 back to the
old wretched, miserable life. Where
are we to find the money even to pay
the rent? We've got no furniture;
we've got no money; we've got no
practice-oh! Jem-Jem-how are we
to live?'
She sank into a chair and gasped.
Her husband was still occupied with
his view of the situation.
1.-THE future may take care of it.
self, Harriet. It's the past that 1
look at Nobody can prove that / knew
that girl to be the heiress; thank good
ness, that can't come out Very WE'LL
then-let US face the situation. Tom
was dead. Before Tom went away
he gave me a power OF attorney.
Well, I am the natural heir. / adVer-
tised for the heir-at-law Of Captain
Willoughby Capel, and no one replied.
Then Tom was killed. naturally
succeeded-I am his only cousin, on
that side Then he comes home
again. I say to him, Tom - my dear
old Tom'-being much affected-'how
glad 1 am to restore all to you! The
heir can not be found, and you had
better sit down and enjoy the fortune.
If he does, I have got the knife into
him. because the trust money ought
to 60 back to Miss Willoughby's heirs.
If he does not, he will make me the
solicitor, End if know my way about,
some Of that money shall stick"
WHAT are you talking about? What
grlf What trust?"
SWell, Harriet, there was no use tell
ing you; but if you hadn't been wo-
man you would have asked Few
question about the sudden accession.
You see, I am one of the heirs to
Toms estate-no one can get over that;
one of them. and the others are IN
New Zealand-but it's loaded with a
trust and we did not know to whom
that trust ought to be handed over
Just when we went away. Well, you
see, first of all, I promised Tom SOL
emnly that what was left when that
trust was paid should be given TO
his girl"
"You promised to give away your
own?"
You're fool, Harriet. 1t wasn't
my own. 1t was his. If 1 hadn't
promised he would have made Will
on the voyage, and given it to her.
Besides, l didn't put that promise into
writing. Well, after Tom went away
I found that even if this trust money
was paid there would be an uncom-
mon tidy bit left. So Of course
wasn't going to regard such a promise
as binding-not likely"
"Well, and did you pay the trust"
"No, I didn't. You see, my DEAR
there's this certain fact about the
trust, that not a soul knows anything
about it except Tom and me. 1t
should 60 to the heirs Of man who Is
dead; if not it would have to revert
to the heirs of the original donor. Very
good. The awkwaSd thing is that 1
haven't paid it to either; and now
Tom is come back and there will be
the devil to pay"
ooh! Who is the heir?"
81 found out some time ago. 1t is
no other than Toms own sweetheart,
Katharine Capel. She doesn't know,
and Tom never knew"
Where is she?'