Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1907-07-27
CHAPTER l..

Naples early In October. John
Marshall Gleuarm had died ga June.
leaving a viii which gave me his prop
erty conditionauy. Pickering wrote.
and 60 was necessary for me TO returl
Immediately 90 vgalify as legatec. Il
was by the merest luck that the letter
came 90 my hands at an. for it had
been sent % Constantinople in care
OF the consul general instead OF my
banker there and 20 was not Picker
ing's fault that the consul was friend
of mine who kept track OF my wander
ings and was able 60 hurry the eNecu-
tors letter after me 90 Italy. where
] had gone 90 meet an English fnan.
.cier who had, was advised, unlimited
money to spend on African railways.
l ara an engineer. a graduate Of an
American institution Familiarity known
as The Tech. and as my funds were
running low Z naturally turned to my
profession for employment.
But this letter changed my plans
and the following day I cabled Pick
.srIng Of my departure and was OUT
ward bound on a steamer for New
York Fourteen days later I sat in
Picberiugs office in the Alexis Build
ing and listened intcnuy while be
read, with much pondcrous emphasis
the provisions OF my Erandfathers
will When he concluded laughed
Pickering was serious man. and
was glad 20 see that my levity panied
him I had. for that matter. always
been a source OF annoyance 90 him.
and his look of distrust and rebuke
did not trouble me in the least
reached across the table for tho
paper. and ne gave the sealed and be-
ribboned copy Of John Marshall Glen
arms will into my hands I read it
through for myself feeling conscious
meanwhile that Pickoriug's cool gaze
was bent inquiriugly upon me. These
are the paragraphs that interested me
most:
II give and devise unto my said
grandson. John Gicnarm. sometime a
resident Of the city and state OF New
York. and later vagaboud OF parts
unknown. a certain property known as
Glenarm House. with tho lands and
hereditameDts thereunto pertaining
and hereinafter more particularly de-
scribed. and all personal effects. goods
anu NNst'A INANNfNANH AAANAN may NN
located in the premises and on the
land herein described.-the said realty
lying in the county OF Wabana in the
state OF Indiana.-upon this condition.
faithfully and honestly performed:
THAT said John Glcnarm shall re-
main an occupant OF said Glenarm
House and OF nay lands appurtenant
thereto. demcaninc himself meanwhile
in an orderly and temperate manner
Should he fau no any time during said
year 20 comply with this provision
said property shall az once revert 20
my general estate. shall become with.
out reservation and without necessity
for any process OF law the property.
absolutely. OK Marian Devereux. OF the
county and state OF New York"
We'll" ne demanded. striking his
hands upon the arms Of his chair.
what do you think OF IT,"
For the life OF me I could not help
laughing again. There was. in the
FIRST place. a delicious irony In the
fact that I should learn through him
OF my grandfather's wishes with re-
spect 20 myself Pickering and had
grown up in the same town in Yer
AAOAAH VIC AeAAA AAANaANAAA AAAN rAAAlN liAN
paratory school. but there had been
from boyhood a certain antagonism
between us. He had always succeeded
where I failed. which Is 10 say. must
admit. that he had succeeded pretty
frequently. When I refused 10 settle
down 10 my profession. but chose %
see something OF the world first, Pick
ering gave himself seriously 20 the
law, and there was, I knew from the
beginning. no manner of chance that
he would fail.
am not moro or less than human
and remembered with Joy that once
] had thrashed him soundly at the
prep school for bullying q 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. You never quite knew the
extent OF his powers and resources
and he had, always maintained. n,
most amazing good luck-as witnes.
the fact that John Marshall Glenam
had taken a friendly interest IN him
It was wholly like my grandfather
who was a man Of many whims. e
give his affairs into chickering's keep
ing; and I could not complain, for
had missed my own chance with him
IL was, knew readily enough. part o
my punishment for having succeeded
so signally in mourning my grand
fathers dispieasure that he had mad,
II necessary for me 20 treat witt
Arthur Pickering in this matter OF th
will and Pickering was enjoying IN
situation to the full
But there was something not who'll
honest in my mirth. for my conduc
Curing the three preceding years ha
been reprehensible. ] had used m
grandfather shabby. My parents die
when ] was a child, and he had care
for me as far back as my memory raI
He had suffered me to spend the fo
tune left by my father without r,
straint: he bad expected much OF m,
and ] had grievousIy disappointed hin
II was his hope that / should devot
myself to architecture. a professIo
for which he had the greatest admirr
ton, whereas had insisted O
engineering.