The Blackfoot optimist. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1907-1918, 1911-12-28
CHAPTER VI. (contInued).

s CHAPTER VI. (contInued).
s The servant brought from Rutton's
sloather trunk battered black
Spanned tin box, which, upon ex-
Oration, proved to contain little that
Night not have been anticipated. A
II handbook issued by the house of Roth
child Freres, Paris, showed a bal
N NICE to the credit Of H. D. Rutton of
omething slightly under a million
Ffancs. There was American money,
Echief1y in gold certificates of large
denominations, to the value of, round
|ly, 100000, together with a handful Of
French. German and English bank
notes which might have brought in
exchange about $3.50. In addition to
these there was merely a single en-
velope, superscribed: "To be opened
In event Of my death only. H. D. R."
Amber broke the seal and read the
enclosures once to himself and a Sec
pnd time aloud to Doggott. The date
was barely year old.
For reasons personal to myself
And sufficient" Rutton had written, Il
choose not to make a formal will.
shall die, probably in the near future,
by my own hand, of poison. I wish
% emphasize this statement in event
mise should appear to attach suspic-
on Of murder upon any person or per-
Sons whatever. l am a widower and
thildless. What relations may sur
live me are distant and will never
appear to claim what estate / may
eave-this know. therefore desire
that my body servant, Henry Doggott,
appropriate to his own use all my
property and effects, providing he be
IN my service at the time of my death.
To facilitate his entering into pos
session Of my means, whatever they
may be, without the necessity Of legal
procedure of any kind, I enclose a
cheque to his order upon my bankers.
signed by myself and bearing the date
Of this memorandum. He Is to fill 1t
in with the amount remaining to my
credit upon my handbook. Should he
have died or left me, however, the dis
position Of my effects is a matter
about which am wholly careless"
The signature was Enthusiastically
genuine-the formal H. D. Rutton''
with which Amber was familiar. 1t
was unwitnessed.
The Virginian put aside the paper
and offered Doggott the blank cheque
on Rothschilds'. This" he said
makes you pretty nearly independent
ly rich. Doggott."
"Yes. sir" Doggott took the slip Of
paper in hand that trembled even as
his voice, and eyed it incredulously
i've never 'ad anything like this be
fore. sir; I 'ardly know what il
means"
1T MEANS" explained Amber, that
when you've filled in that blank and
had the money collected from the
KlRothschilds, you'll be worth-witt
what cash is herein the neighbor
|hood of forty-five thousand pounds
4 eterling."
~ Doggott gasped, temporarily mar
S]taculate. "Forty-fve thousands pounds
Mr. Amber" he declared earn
61tly. II never looked for nothin' like
This, IL never-I-" Quite without
Sswarning he was quiet and composed
aeatn might l ask it Of you as {
favor sir, to look after this"-he of
1 1erGA to return the cheque-"for {
U Mhd, till l can myke up my min(
u AWhA4sto do with It,"
rtainly." Amber took the paper
gss'IfI2d4A It and placed it in his card
Nv W. suggest that you deposi
s W.T. 60on as possible in New Yorl
MI tor collection. In the meantime
III w bills are yours; you'd bette
w care of them yourself until yol
/ W the banking account"
s1tH keep as we'll in ere as any
Doggott considered, relock
81 ing the box. Il 'aven't 'ardly any us'
IT money, except, of course, to tid'
\ ~ over till find another position.
SsWhat!" exclaimed Amber ii
amAse.
~ yes, sir" affirmed Doggott respect
b. I'm a bit too old to chyng
w'ys; a valet I've been all m,
and a valet I'll die, sir. It's to-
IA TO think of anything else"
Ut with this money, Dogg6tt-"
peg pardon, sir. but I know;
a live easy like q gentleman II
IN d-but l wouldn't be a gentleman
whats the use Of that? So tho wy
Dok at it, there's naught for me bu