Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1907-11-21
4URMONT FREDERICK COUNTY, AD NOVEMBER 21

had never been able to add up his sums
and to reduce his pounds to pence with
the correctness desired by his masters.
The immediate result was unpleasant;
the more enduring result was hatred
and continued ignorance of all mathe.
matical science. Therefore, as an &C.
countant, he blundered. And it was
not until Tom was gone that he found
out what big blunder he had made.
Never mind, when he returned there
would be time to set him right.
Six weeks after his departure there
came the first alarming telegram in
the papers.
James Rolfe read it and changed
color. Then he reflected, and winked
hard with both eyes. Some men turn
red or pale or both; others fidget with
their hands; others wriggle in their
chairs; James Rolfe winked with both
eyes.
The next day and the next and the
day after there came more kilograms
of similar character.
Harriet" said her husband, solemn
ly, my cousin Tom must be dead.
Four days have passed and he has
not come back. The last fugitives who
have escaped have returned to camp.
but he has not come in. Captain Nc.
Lauchlin, of the 115th. and Mr.. Addi.
son, correspondent of the Daily Herald,
| are still missing. There is no doubt,
| very much fear that Tom is dead"
"Then who'll have all the money,
James?"
There may be WILL" he replied,
fully aware that there was none. IT
ought to be mine, by rights. But there
may be will"
What other relations has he?"
| "He has cousins by his mothers side,
but the family all went to New Zealand
long ago BY his fathers side l am
the only first cousin
"Then-oh. Jem, won't you have 1t
al?"
"We must distinguish. Harriet" he
replied, in a legal tone: 1--WE must dis
tinguish. l certainly ought to have
| it ALL"
"He was engaged, you told me-"
"Yes." James was reminded by the
! question of certain last words and n
| promise. And again he winked with
both eyes. Yes. he was engaged. l
! shall look into his papers, Harriet, ana
! find his will. if he left one"
His heart leaped up within him and
his pulse quickened, because he knew
very well there was no Will.
The time was one of great tightness.
| The rent was overdue, and the land
| lord was pressing. James Rolfe's pri-
yate resources had well,nigh come to
an end, and his practice was meager
| enough. 1t is not enough, as many
have discovered, to call yourself solic-
itor, il your language, your manners,
your appearance, and your general rep
utation fail to command the respect
and confidence which bring along the
client. James appearance reminded
| the observer of swash-buckler IN
private modern dress Now, rightly or
wrongly, people like their solicitors
| to exhibit correct and sober tenor.
His tastes led him to racing, and there.
fore to billiards, the turf somehow be-
ing the first cousin Of the billiard
table. Both are green, to begin with.
He was we'll set up; big, handsome
fellow, with brown hair straight ana
short, a smooth cheek, and full mus
tache: the kind of a man who at forty
| will have developed figure and put
IN a double chin. His wife, whom ne
elevated to that proud position from
| stall in Soho Bazaar, was, like himselr,
big.limbed, full Of figure, and comely
| to look upon. There was no wom-
an anywhere, Jem proudly felt, who
| could compare with her. In fact, Wnen
Harriet was well dressed and Ill
good temper, she was a very handsome
| creature indeed. She would make
splendid stage queen with her masses
Of brown hair rolled up under a gleam-
ing gold coronet, black or crimson
velvet dress showing her white arms
and setting off her regular features
and her ample rosy cheek, her broad
white shoulders and her great blue
eyes. Rubens would have painted
her with enthusiasm. She must have
come from the country, for In London
| such women are not grown. In other
things, besides comeliness, she was a
| fitting partner for James Rolfe; like
him, she loved all the pOmps and van1-
| ties of the world-eyery one-and es-
pecially the vanity of rich and beauti-
full raiment. Next, she loved the vani-
ty of the theatre, which she regarded
| as the proper place to show good
| dress. She also loved the vanity OF
champagne, the festal drink; that OF
good eating, and that of cheerful so.
! ciety, where the men did what they
pleased and the ladies were not stuck
hp and stiff.
Harriet" said her husband, few
days later, "Tom is really dead. There
can no longer be any doubt about It,"
"Is it really and truly certain?" IL
Everybody has given him up"
"Oh, Jem-and all this money! Is it
| really ours? OH"
Jem did not Immediately. reply, but
he shut both eyes hard. Then he
walked to the window, and looked out
into the back garden Of the villa. Then
he returned to the fire place and played
with the things on the mantel shelf.
Harriet waited and watched him anx-
iously.
Harriet" he said, l am his cousin
and his solicitor. 1 have, therefore,
been to his lodgings this afternoon
and paid the rent, and carried away
his books and papers and clothes and