The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1909-07-24

L
you as executor, not me-"
81 shall decline to serve. It's an
impossible situation. Hare. In the I
first place. Skaggs was not an init |
mate friend OF mine. ! met him In |
Constantinople five years ago and aft
erward handled some business for him
in New York. He had no right to
impose upon me as if'
But why should you hesitate? You
have only to wait for the year to roll
by and then turn your troubles over to
the natives Young Browne can't
marry Miss Ruthven inside Of year
simply because there is no Miss Ruth
ven. She's Lady Lady what's the
name?"
"Deppingham."
And Browne already has one Mrs.
Browne to his credit. don't you see.
Well. that settles it, I'd say. It's hard
ly probable that Browne will murder or
divorce his wife. nor is it likely that
her ladyship would have the courage
to dispose of her incumbrance in either
way on such short notice"
But 1t means millions to them,
Hare"
That's their unfortunate lookout
You are to act as an executor, not as
matrimonial agent"
But. man. it's an outrage to give all
OF 1t to those wretched islanders. Bos-
worth says that rubies and sapphires
grow there like mushrooms"
.Bosworth also says that the island
ALL, a <3<xtt
for their rights. There are lawyers
among them, he says as we'll as jewel
diggers aud fishermen
.Skaggs and Lady Deppingham's
grandfather were the only white men
who ever lived there long enough to
find out what the island had stored up
for civilization. That's why they bought
1t outright. but I'm hanged il can see
why he wants to give 1t back to the
natives"
Perhaps he owes 1t to them. He
doubtless bought 1t for a song, and,
contrary to all human belief, he may
have resurrected conscience. Any
how, there remains a chance for the
heirs to break the will.''
st can't be done. Hare; 1t can't be
done It's as clean an instrument as
ever survived man,
1t is by this time safe for the reader
to assume that Mr.. Taswell Skaggs
had been rich man and therefore
privileged to be eccentric He came Of
sound old country family In upper
| England, but seems to have married a
bit above his station His Wife was serv-
| ing as governess in the home! of GER
| tain earl when Taswell won her heart
and dra aged her from the exalted posi-
/ ton of Winding other peoples children
| into the less conspicuous one of caring
| for her own.
Their only son was killed by a run
| away horse when he was twenty, and
| their daughter became the wife of an
American named Browne when she
i was scarcely out of her teens. 1t was
then that Mr.. Skaggs, practically child
less, determined to make himself wife
less as well.
He magnanimously. decided the un
entaile1 farm to his wife, turned hi;
i securities into cash and then set fortf
upon voyage of exploration 1t !:
common history that upon one dark
still night In December he said goodby
forever to the farm and its mistress
bur II is doubtful IL either of then
heard him.
To be Jolly we'll even" with hin
Mrs. Skaggs did most priggish thing
She died six months later. but befor,
doing so she made will in which sh
left the entire estate to her daughter
effectually depriving the absent hus
band of any chance to reclaim hi
own.
Taswell Slaggs was in Shanghai
when he heard the news. 1t was on
Friday His informant was that ersi
while friend Jack Wyckholme. Nat
urally Skaggs felt deeply aggrieve
J with the fate which permitted him t
/, capitulate when unconditional surreI
der was so close at hand. His lal
guage for one brief quarter Of an hou
did more to upset the progress of Chri
: tian endeavor in the far east than a
the idols in the Chinese empire.
! There's nawthin' In England for m
Jackie. My gals hloomin' foreignt
by this time. and shell sell the bleedi
!. farm. of course. She's an America
God bless 'er 'eart. ! dare say IL I
go to 'er and say I'd Ike my farm bar
$ again she'd want to fork hoyer, but :
husband wouldn't be for that sort /
t hextravagance. Ed boot me of q
IS kisland."
. 1.-THE United States isn't an islam
Tazzy." explained Mr.. Wyckholm
: gulping his brandy and soda.
Mr. wyckholme was the second s.
of Sir Somebody or-other and had ms
rieds the Wears daughter. This p
:. him into such bad odor with his IA
- lily that he hurried or to the dogs-al
Z, goodly sized menagerie besides 4 I