The Rich Hill tribune. (Rich Hill, Mo.) 1903-1911, 1907-02-21

chAPTER 3.

pickering s letter rlnBlnE news OF
my grandfather's death found me at
Naples early in October. John
Marshall Glenarm had died in June,
leaving a will which gave me his prop
erty cOnditionally. Pickering wrote.
and Il was necessary for me to return
Immediately to qualify as legatee. It
vas by the merest luck that the letter
came to my hands at all, Cor 1t had
been sent to Constantinople. in care
Of the consul-generai instead OF my
banker there, and II was not Picker
ing's fault that the consul was a friend
Of mine who kept track Of my wander
fngs and was able to hurry the execu-
tors letter after me 10 Italy, where
1 had gone to meet an English hnan-
cier who had. I was advised. unlimited
money 70 spend on African railways,
I am an engineer, a graduate Of an
American institution Familiarity known
as The Tech, and as my funds were
running low ] naturally turned to my
profession for employment.
But this letter changed my plans,
and the following day ! cabled Pick
ering Of my departure and was out
ward bound on a steamer for New
York Fourteen days later / sat in
chickering's Office in the Alexis Build
ing and listened ~intently while he
read, with much %ponderous emphasis.
the provisions Of my grandfather's
will. When he concluded / laughed.
Pickering was a serious man, and !
was glad to e that my leyity panied
him. I had. for that matter. always
been a source of annoyance TO him.
and his look of distrust and rebuke
die not trouble me in the least
1 reached across the table for the
PAPER, and he gave the sealed and be-
ribDoned copy Of John Marshall Glen
arms will into my hands. 1 read 1t
through for myself. feeling conscious
meanwhile that Pickering's cool gaze
was bent inqulringly upon me. These
are the paragraphs that interested me
most:
4 give and devise unto my said
grandson, John Glenarm. sometime a
resident Of the city and state OF New
York. and later e vagabond OF parts
unknown, a certain property known as
Glenarm House. with the lands and
hereditaments thereunto pertaining
and hereinafter nor particularly de
seribed. and all personal effects, goods
and other property that may be
located in the premises and on the
Hand herein described.-the said realty
dying IN the county Of Wabana in the
Etate OF Indisna.-upon this condition,
faithfully and honestly performed:
THAT said John Glenarm shall re-
main an occupant of said Gienarm
House and Of my lands appurtenant
thereto. ~demeaning himself meanwhile
in an orderly and temperate manner.
should he fail at any time during said
year TO comply with this provision.
said property shall at once revert to
zny general estate. shall become, with.
out reservation and without necessity
for any process OF law the property.
alb solutely, of Marian Devereux. OF the
comfy and state OF New York.
Well" he demanded, striking his
hauds upon the arms Of hts chair.
~what do you think Of 81"
For the life Of me ! could not help
laughing again. There was. IN the
drat place. a delicious irony In the
fat that I should learn through him
OF my grandfather's wishes with re-
apoct to myself. Pickering and / had
grown up in the same town IN Yer.
mont. we had attended the same Pre-.
paratoFy school, but there had been
from boyhood a certain ~antagonism
between us. He had always succeeded
where / failed. which Is 70 say, / must
admit, that he had succeeded pretty
frequently When / refused TO settle
down - my profession. but chose 20
G something OF the world first, Pick
orlng gage himself seriously 10 the
law. and there was, / knew from the
beginning. no manner OF chance that
he would fail.
I am not more OF less than human.
and ! remembered with Joy that once
q had thrashed him soundly al the
prep school for bullying a smaller boy.
but our score from school days was
not without tallies on his side. he
was easily the better scholar grant
him that: and he was shrewd and
plausible. YoM never quite knew the
extent OF his powers and resources.
and he had. / always maintained. the
most amazing good luok,-as witness
the fact that John Marshall Oleuarm
had taken a friendly interest IN him.
81 was wholly like my grandfather.
who was a man OF many whims. TO
give his affairs into Pickering's keep
dag: and / could not complain. for /
mad missed my own chance with him.
a. was. / knew readily enough, part Of
my punishment Tor having succeeded
so slsnaily IN mourning my grand
fathers displeasure that he had made
at necessary for me 90 t,eat with
Arthur Pickering IN this matter Of the
win; and Pickering vas enjoying the
sliaation 10 the full.
Dnt there was something not wholly