The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1907-02-14
should have let him take It With hin
that night, Hide it,"

ne lawyer WHO naQ m20o Cousin
Rhody's last will took it on himself
to look out for that will. He would
not take my word that at the very
last Cousin Rhody ordered me to de-
stoy that will, as l could prove by a
housemaid. This maid was deaf and
while she heard enough to know that
Cousin Rhody had ordered one of the
wills burned she was not quite sure
which one it might be; but under my
direct look, falte'e that it was the
newest will.
But the lawyer went at the matter
In high handed manner. He put
every room and drawer in the house
under lock and key until a search was
made for that will. He sent for a
woman to not only search my room
but myself for that missing will, which
carried in my bosom. l looked about
for hiding place for the will, but
there was none. Quick as thought
stepped from a window to an outside
balcony. The next window on this side
the house opened into the room where
woman or sheriff reached my room.
had, by means Of these windows, I'M
seen, gained access to where Cousin
Rhody lay in her coffin. l tucked the
will under her body, and when the
sheriff and the woman brought to
search me came into this room l was
sitting calmly reading.
"Remarking that | had been sent by
Cousin Rhody's heir to watch by her
body, went very quietly though with
some good show of indignation over
the insult as l termed it, back to my
own room by way of the doors now.
ut was several hours before the
chance was given me to return to
Cousin Rhodys room, and when | did
so l found the coffin closed, and a
funeral director in charge with orders
to not again open it.
In vain l plead with the heir to al
low it opened. He had given orders
that it should not be. 1t was not pol
icy I felt to tell him of the will. |
would get it afterward. | knew she
would be placed in the family vault.
She had ordered that she was not to
be buried in the ground. She feared
interment The will, | consoled my
self, | could get at any time. There
were two keys to the vault, and had
availed myself of one.
But it was never to be. Knowing
that Cousin Rhody's death would not
bear investigation, and fearing that
yet the question might be raised rela'
tive to how she died, the heir had the
coffin placed in the stone niche pre-
pared for it, and giving out that he
feared shouls might steal the body
and ask a reward, he placed heavy
charges of dynamite in and about the
coffin. | did not know of this until too
late.
How he jeered when told him
where | had hidden Cousin Rhody's
last will How he scorned me when
I threatened to tell the lawyer where
| had hidden the will, and why Cousin
Rhody had died Who would believe
me?' he said, and if they did, who
could now get at Cousin Rhody
Bronck's body to prove it? | was
fool He gave me some money, but
he never married me. He is still liv.
ing. He has become miser OF late.
He holds all of Cousin Rhody's land
intact. He has not sQuandered 1t. 1t
is 20 years
Does the housekeeper and lawyer
still live?" the professor hurriedly
asked.
yes" came the murmuring reply.
But another was speaking now. 1t
was the young nurse, clear and In
cisive:
IF that woman tells the truth,
which she has 50 far as | can follow
her, then | am Rhoda Bronck's heir,
for my mother was Marjory Bronck.
The hypnotized woman struggled
back to a normal condition, wonder
ing what she might have said
The Bronck vault was opened by
lawful edict. A workman famous for
handling explosive in safe manner was
found willing to take away the stone
from the niche holding the coftin, and
risk moving it out. 1t was then found
that the present heir had done his
work well; under other hands in re-
moving the explosion that might have
followed would have wrecked a town
about that vault. The will was found
as stated by the nurse. but ere it was
found. she and the man she loved-or
hated-had disappeared forever from
that land.