Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1910-05-17
CHAPTER 1.


In the gloomy, spacious bedroom OF
a gloomy old house at oxford an old
man lay dying. That morning the doe
tor had whispered to the housekeeper
that it was now only a question of
days: nor was he himself ignorant Of
his condition, for at the very begin
ming of his short, sharp illness he had
observed that he would not get over
it. Yet any one. looking at his hard,
stern, handsome face, might have
found it difficult to believe that he
was really near his end. Not by any
means the typical British countenance,
but rather one of kind which is more
commonly seen north than south of the
Tweed. The high, narrow forehead, the
bushy white eyebrows, the thin lips,
the long. square chin-a1l these made
up a whole which, If not attractive,
was at least free from any element Of
weakness. His eyes-those terrible
gray eyes with which, all his life long,
he had been went to stare down those
who came into contact with him-were
closed now; but one could guess what
they must be like, and perhaps it was
not very strange that the possessor Of
such a face should, at this hour of ex-
old housekeeper who was sitting by
his bedside and who glanced furtively
at him from time to time.
In fact, the Dean of ST. Cyprian's,
though parsonage in the University
and one whose name was tolerably
well known outside University circles,
by reason of his great reputation for
scholarship and on account of certain
learned works which he had published
was probably as friendless and lonely
a man as could have been found in all
England. He had quarreled with his
only brother; years ago he had quar-
relied niortally and finally with his
own child, who had run away from his
house to marry her music-master; he
had quarreled with every dignitary in
oxford. except with the Master of All
Saints; and he would certainly have
cuarreled with him, too, had it not
been a thing beyond the power of hui
man achievement to quarrel with dear
old DR. Drysdale. And so now he lay
grimly and silently waiting for death,
with only his housekeeper to bear him
company.
1t was evening" bitter, stormy
March evening-and he had not adj
dressed a word to her since midday,
merely signing to her every now and
again TO give him the beef-tea which
the doctor had ordered, The poor
woman had sat up with him for two
nights. and was wondering whether
any very awful consequences would en-
sue if she were to indulge in forty
winks, when cautious tap summoned
her to the door. Their was a brief
whispered consultation, and she re-
turned to the bedside.
I beg your pardon, sir" said she,
"Mr Breffit have arrived
The Dean opened his eyes. Let him
come in, then" he ans 1ered, in deep,
husky voice.
MIR. Bre:it, the lawyer. came in.
Sorry to find you so poorly. Mr.,
Dean" he began, in cheerful voice;
but the old man stared at him. and
the remarks which he had been about
TO make upon the inclemency of the
weather remained unuttered.
Mr. Brefiit had no very length task
TO perform. Lawyers as a RUE do
not much relish drawing up the con-
else, ineligible testaments which are
more in favor nowadays than they
used to be; but what are YOU to do
when you have to deal with an opin-
donated and peremptory client. who
knows his own mind and will tolerate
no superfiuous vSrbiage? In less than
a quarter os an hour the dying man
had revoked all previous wills made by
him (there had been a good many
SUCH, and had disposed of his realty
and personally after a fashion which
seemed likely to be FINAL
When the butler and the footman
had been summoned to witness their
masters signature, and when Mr.. Brief
nit was once more left alone with his
client. he fingered. as If he had some
observation to make.
Well" said the Dean. sharply, what
Is it? You think l have acted unfair
~. perhapsg
"Gh no." answered the lawyer; no
! don't know that anybody could call
it exactly unfair-and. after all. it will
come to the same thing. most likely.
II isn't Quite-quite what was expect
ed. of course"
7 am not answerahle for anybody's
expectations" said the old man. nor
can pretend to sympathize with any
body's disappointment l may say that
my own expectations have been strict
ly reasonable: yet they have not been
fulfilled However. am not concerned
to defend myself. If were. I might.
with sore show OF plausihility, claim
TO have done an act of tardy Justice
The lawyer looked down and smiled
slightly. but made no rejoinder.
'sGoea-by. Mr.. Brdtfit.." said the
Dean. presently; perhaps you viii be
SO good as TO touch the bell as YOU
pass, Thank YOU"
The lawyer accepted his dismissal
without word. beyond a muttered
.Good by. Air. Dean"
On the staircase Mr.. Breffit recov-
cred himself and laughed ''rardy JUS
tice. indeed. Well, if it's justice. it's
certainly tardy; but. taking everything
into consideration. it doesn't aitogeth-
er realize my idea of justice. The
chances are. however. that the woman
dyea long ago. We should have heard
es her now If she had been alive. yol
ruav depend upon H." Then he betook
himself 10 tina oak-paneled dining
room and had a very good Ginner be-
fore he returned TO London.
CHAPTER II
While the lawyer was terrifying HIM