Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1907-01-17

Aupeu W MARRY mt Wn5u buo uAcu.
The end came sooner than ! was
led to suspect. He had been with her
for an hour before. and came 10 call
me to take his place. / had wondered
at her symptoms. but now for the
first time guessed. He had been
slowly poisoning her, but getting tired
Of waiting had, during my absence,
given her q larger dose. She knew
that she was dying.
Here" she gasped; 7 trust You.
Hide this will until my lawyer comes.
should have let him take It with him
that night. Hide it,"
THE lawyer who had made Cousin
Rhody's last will took 1t 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 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 1t might be; but, under my
direct look, faltered that 1t 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 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. looked about
for hiding place for the will, but
there was none. Quick as thought
stepped from q window to an outside
balcony The next window on this side
the house opened into the room where
they had laid its mistress. Before the
woman or sheriff reached my room,
had, by means Of these windows, un-
seen, gained access to where Cousin
Rhody lay in her coffin. / tucked the
will under her body, and when the
sheriff and the woman brought to-
search me came into this room 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 termed II, back to my
own room by way OF the doors now.
1T was several hours before the
chance was given me to return TO-
Cousin Rhody's room, and when did
10 found the coffin closed, and O.
funeral director in charge with orders
% not again open 1t.
In vain / plead with the heir to al.
ow 1t opened He had given orders
hat 1t should not be. 1t was not pol
cy l felt to tell him of the will. 1
would get it afterward. | knew she
would be placed in the family vault.
'he had ordered that she was not to
'e buried in the ground. She feared
nterment. The will, consoled my
elf, could get at any time There
1ere two keys to the vault, and had
vailed myself of one.
But 1t was never to be. Knowing
hat Cousin Rhody's death would not
ear investigation, and fearing that
ct the question might be raised rela.
i've to how she died, the heir had the
ofln placed in the stone niche pre-.
AIRED for it, and giving out that he
jared ghouls might steal the body
nd ask a reward, he placed heavy
larges of dynamite in and about the
)fin, l did not know of this until too
to.
"How he jeered when I told him
here l had hidden Cousin Rhody's
st will. How he scorned me when
threatened to tell the lawyer where
had hidden the will, and why Cousin
nody had died. Who would believe
eT he said, and II they did, who
uld now get at Cousin Rhody
'onck's body to prove it? was a
OIL He gave me some money, but
never married me. He Is still liv-
3. He has become miser Of late.
} holds all Of Cousin Rhodys land
TACT, He has not squandered It, It
20 years"
Does the housekeeper and lawyer
Il liver" the professor hurriedly
ked.
YES" came the murmuring reply.
But another was speaking now. It
IS the young nurse, clear and in.
I've: N.
If that woman tells the truth,
Iich she has so far as can follow
+, then / am Rhoda Bronck's heir,
my mother was Marjory Bronck."
The hypnotized woman struggled
TX to a normal condition, wonder.
what she might have said.
The Bronck vault was opened by
7ful edict. A workman famous for
ldling explosive in safe manner was
nd willing to take away the stone
m the niche holding the coffin, and
( moving It out 1t was then found
t the present heir had done his
rk well; under other hands in re.
wing the explosion that might have
owed would have wrecked q town
nut that vault. The will was found
stated by the nurse, but ere II was
nd, she and the man she loved-or
disappeared forever from