The Irish standard., 1907-01-05
CHAPTER 1.

Pickering's letter bringing 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
sterty conditionally, Pickering wrote,
and 1t was necessary for me to return
Immediately to qualify as legatee. It
was by the merest luck that the letter
came to my hands at all, for it had
been sent to Constantinople, in care
of the consul-general instead of my
banker there, and 1t was not Picker
ing's fault that the consul was friend
Of mine who kept track of my wander
ings and was able to hurry the execu-
tors letter after me to Italy, where
I had gone to meet an English finan-
Sier who had, was advised. unlimited
money to spend on African railways.
I am an engineer, graduate of an
American institution Familiarity known
Sas 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 I cabled Pick
ering Of my departure and was out
ward bound on steamer for New
York. Fourteen days later I sat in
Pickering's once 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 I laughed.
Pickering was serious man. and I
was glad to see that my 1evity pained
him. had, for that matter, always
been source of annoyance to him.
and his look of distrust and rebuke
Hid not trouble me in the least.
vi reached across the table for the
paper. and he 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 Pickering's cool gaze
was bent inquiringly upon me. These
are the paragraphs that interested me
most:
z.3ss'"I give and devise unto my said
grandson, John Glenarm, sometime a
resident of the city and state of New
York, and later a vagabond of parts
unknown, certain property known as
Glenarm House, with the lands and
hereditaments thereunto pertaining
and hereinafter more particularly de.
Gcribed, and all personal effects, goods
and other property that may be
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 Glenarm shall re-
main an occupant of said Glenarm
House and of my lands appurtenant
thereto, demeaning himself meanwhile
In an orderly and temperate manner
Should he fail at any time during said
gear to comply with this provision
said property shall at once revert to
my general estate, shall become, with
put reservation and va1hout necessity
for any process of law the property,
absolutely, of Marian Devereux, of the
county and state Of New York"
- WELL" he demanded, striking his
hands upon the arms Of his chair,
."'what do you think of it?"
stS For the life of me / could not help
laughing again. There was, in the
Arst place, delicious irony in the
fact that should learn through him
cf my grandfather's wishes with re-
spect to myself. Pickering and had!
grown up in the same town in Yer,
mont: we had attended the same pre-
,paratory school, but there had been
from boyhood a certain antagonism
between us. He had always succeeded
where failed, which is to say, must
admit, that he had succeeded pretty
frequently. When I refused to settle
down to my profession, but chose to
lee something Of the world first, Pick,
lering gave himself seriously to the
law, and there was, knew from the
Heginning, no manner of chance that
he would fail.
; 3a L am not more or less than human,
Hnd remembered with joy that once
X had thrashed him soundly at the
prep school for bullying smaller boy,
nut our score from school days was
not without tallies ON his side. He
y a9asse easily the better scholar-I grant
him that; and he was shrewd and
plausible. You never quite knew the
H 2xtent of his powers and resources,
ssss4nd he had, always maintained, the
most amazing good luck,-as witness
EHhe fact that John Marshall Glenarm
mad taken friendly interest in him.
Et was wholly like my grandfather,
who was man of many whims, to
sxiye his affairs into Pickering's keep.
ing and I could not complain, for l
4 had missed my own chance with him.
was, / knew readily enough, part of
l ny punishment for having succeeded
- signally in incurring my grand.
eSther's displeasure that he had made
sIlt necessary for me to treat with
Arthur Pickering in this matter of the
Eill; and Pickering was enjoying the
h atuation to the full.
But there was something not wholly
S Snest in my mirth, for my conduct
hsSgs1s ring the three preceding wears had