The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1912-05-31
Stealing Plate

II don't think 1t is fair" cried Net.
tie Bourn. ITO think that one horrid
old plate should make all this trou.
BILE! 1t was mean of Uncle John to
make a will like that"
"He didn't make a will like that"
contended Harry Warren. "How was
he to know that one of the plates
should be broken between his death
and the reading Of the will? He was
fair enough. He left one to your
mother and one to my father. Surely
that was a fair division of the two.
His intention was all right"
Well, then," said Nettie, stamping
q very pretty little foot, Its shame.
full that our parents should be so hor.
ribly stubborn as to fight over one
miserable old plate!"
"You can't blame them, exactly"
defended Harry, charitably.
"And in the meantime we can't
ven announce our engagement"
walled Nettie. ito say nothing Of get.
ting married." y
"We don't want to get married un.
til spring." reminded Harry, optimis.
tically. Something will turn up be.
fore then-if l have to turn it up
myself"
He smiled down into the worried
little face. but found no answering
smile. Ever since Jason Pomfret's
will had been read, and 1t was found
that the two famous Washington
plates were left to his brother, SiIas
Warren, and to Martha Bourn, there
had been a bitter warfare waged a.
tween the two legatees. In the hustle
of preparing for the funeral one of the
plates had been broken beyond the
skill of the most expert mender to
put together, and Mrs. Bourn and
Silas Warren, who were both a little
mad on the subject of China, had TAX.
an the matter into the courts, each in.
sisting that the remaining plate wal
the one Jason Pomfret had repeated.
ly indicated as the one he wished the
claimant to have.
But Harry did not let the grass
64O" uAuOA AAo ACOIs 44O WOAI = 6C0
his closest friend, Dick Lyons, who
was noted as an expert in old porce.
lains. He had done Dick a great
favor once, and Dick did not hesitate
a moment. He managed to meet Mrs.
Bourn at an evening party.
Il don't want to e you get the
worst of this row owe that Washing.
ton plate" he said when he had
aroused her curiosity sufficiently.
1--WE often studied that collection Of
Jason P%o1Afret's, and other experts
had always agreed with me that LIS
Washington plates We're not genuine"
Don't tell me that" she command.
ed with a sniff. 1--WE seen the plate a
hundred times and 1 know very well
that it is a real Washington"
Look here" suggested Dick. you
can look the plate over closely so long
as you don't take 1t out of the execu-
tors Office. You've see it a hum
dred times, but you never looked at
it with doubt because you took it for
granted that 1t was what Pomfret
said it was. You look 1t over careful
ly and you'll got the credit for drop
ping the fight over a plate that is not
worth fighting over"
IF this is a trick" began Mrs.
Bourn, and she paused. She could
think Of 10 threat terrifying enough
and her silence was more eloquent.
"It's not a trick" assured Lyons.
What Harry had not counted on
was that his father and Nettie's
mother should arrive at the Office OF
the lawyer executor at the same time.
1T is the same that I took from
the cabinet" declared the lawyer tart
", not relishing the suggestion that
was conveyed in. their demands.
Its not that" Mrs. Bourn fastened
to explain. 1--WE always had an idea
that the plate was not genuine and
want to make certain that the plate
is worth fighting over"
Funny YOU eve thought of that
BEFORE" commented Silas Warren sus.
piciously. i've always had my
doubts" he added, with the COLLECTORS
vanity and pride iii his knowledge.
440AAy tSO4O IA0 LILO OIA0A AA6AS kAos
m Of his friends, also, had expressed
his doubts. I'm going to bring an
caher expert In"
81 don't think that that will be
necessary" hastily said Mrs. Bourn.
She looked doubtfully first at the
plate, then at the lawyer. The latter
was above suspicion even II the plate
vas not. With a sigh she turned IL
over to silas who in turn laid It on
the desk.
81 don't want ever to see 1t again.
he declared. ITO think that q cheap
copy should have spoiled our friend
ship all these months! That's worse
than the loss Of the plate. We used
to be pretty good friends. Martha"
I'VE can be good friends. still.
Silas." she reminded.
Let's 60 out and have luncheon
and talk It over" suggested silas;
and they talked 1t over with such