The Fitzgerald leader. (Fitzgerald, Irwin County, Ga.) 19??-1912, 1912-04-02
Stealing a Plate

make Will like that"
HE didn't make win like that"
contended Harry Warren. "dow 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 fair division of the two.
His intention was all right"
well, then" said Nettie, stamping
a very pretty little foot, its shame
full that our parents should be so hor-
ribly stubborn as to fight over one
miserable old PLATED"
You can't blame them, exactly"
defended Harry, charitably.
And in the meantime we can't
even announce our engagement"
walled Nettie, ITO say nothing OF get
ting married"
1--WE don't want to get married un-
til spring." reminded Harry, optimis-
tically. Something will turn up be-
fore then--if / 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 it was found
that the two famous Washington
plates were left to his brother, Silas
Warren, and to Martha Bourn, there
had been bitter warfare waged be-
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
en- the matter into the courts, each in
sisting that the remaining plate was
the one Jason Pomfret had repeated
Iy indicated as the one he wished the
claimant to have.
But Harry did not let the grass
grow under his feet He went to see
his closest friend, Dick Lyons, who
was noted as an expert in old porce-
lains He had done Dick 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 see you get the
worst of this row over that Washing
ton plate,' he said when he had
aroused her curiosity sufficiently.
"I've often studied that collection OF
Jason Pomfret's, and other experts
had always agreed with me that lis
Washington plates were not genuine"
Don't tell me that" she command
ed with a sniff. I've seen the plate a
hundred times and I 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 it out OF the execu-
tors office. You've seen it hun
dred times, but you never looked at
it with doubt because you took it for
granted that it was what Pomfret
said it was You look it over careful
ly and you'll get the credit for drop
ping the fight over plate that is not
worth fighting over"
eff this is trick" began Mrs.
Bourn, and she paused. She could
think of no threat terrifying enough
and her silence was more eloquent.
Its not 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.
st is the same that l took from
hinot ho Iou1vors tor
ly, 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 never thought of that
BEFORE" commented Silas Warren sus-
piciously. ''I've always had my
doubts, he added, with the collector S
vanity and pride in his knowledge.
Harry told me the other night that
one of his friends, also, had expressed
his doubts. I'm going to bring an
other expert in"
II don't think that that will be
necessary" hastily said Mrs. BouTn.
She locked doubtfully first at the
plate, then at the lawyer. The latter
was above suspicion even if the plate
was not. With a sigh she turned it
over to Silas who in turn laid it en-
the desk.
81 don't want ever to see it again"
he declared ITO think that a 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"
1--WE can be good friends, still,
Silas,' she reminded.
Lets go out ard have luncheon
and talk it over" suggested Silas;
and they talked it over with such
good effect that they went from there
to the jewelers. and when they came
out a solitaire on the widows finger
announced that she expected shortly
to change her state of loneliness.
Nettie and Harry, watching across
the street, smiled at each other
THAT will simplify matters a great
DEAL" declared Harry in tones of re-
lief GWo'II oiva them the Wacbinc-