Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-03-05

One morning while reading news
paper l saw the following notice:
The handsome office building. No.
- street. has been finished and is now
ready for occupancy. Occupants OF other
buildings in the neighborhood are to DO
congratulated, for the lot on which the
building Sas been erected remained va
cant for many years. 1t was formerly a
part OF the OgleShy estate. which at the
death OF Edward OSlesby fell into itigs-
ton long delayed.
Here was the name. Edward Oglesby,
staring me in the face again. l recall
ed that | had seen 1t in the Harriet
Gray papers and determined to get
them out again and learn If this notice
had any connection with them. 1 read
the description Of the last name in the
deed. and. while there was no number
given, the street was named and was
the same as that on which the new
building was located
Had l connected Ned Schuyler with
the matter | should have been eager to
learn more about il. As it was, not
knowing how to proceed for informa-
ton, l did nothing for several days.
Then one day l went TO my lawyers
office TO pay some taxes. and while
there l concluded to mention my find
and ask how 1 could learn something
in the matter My father had done
business through the firm for many
years. and it was now carried on by
Mr.. Tucker. the grandson OF the origi-
nal head. After handing him the funds
for the taxes l asked him IL he knew
anything about the new building OF
which had read in the newspaper
II should think So" was his reply.
'T inherited suit about It for clients
of my father"
who was the owner. Edward Ogles-
by, and what had my father to do with
him?
Edward Oglesby owned the lot on
which this building OF which you speak
stands. He and your father were init
mate friends and both my fathers eli
ents"
"Who was Harriet Gray"
"Mr. Oglesby's stepdaughter. Mr..
Oglesby had no children of his own,
and it was supposed that lie would
leave his property to her. But he died
intestate. She claimed that he had
left a will in her favor, but IL was new
er found. She declared that it had been
left by her stepfather in our keeping,
but a careful search among our papers
failed to produce 1t. We had a great
deal of trouble with the man she mar
ried, who would not believe but that
we had feloniously destroyed or with
held the will Indeed, | think the
charge was indirectly the cause of my
| fathers death"
By this time l was suppressing
wild excitement. l rushed to ask one
more question, but dreaded to do so,
fearing that l would be disappointed
in the reply. Finally found voice to
| speak it.
Whom did Harriet Gray marryT'
Her husbands name, believe, was
Schuyler"
The riddle was solved. Ned Schuyler
was the son of Harriet Gray and took
part of his name from Edward Ogles-
by, his wife's stepfather, and part from
his mothers maiden name. AS soon
as | could gather my wits l went on
asking questions My next was:
Suppose a will of Edward Oglesby
leaving all his property to Harriet Gray
should be produced now. How would
it affect the property"
Her heirs would claim IL, and in
the end undoubtedly the courts would
give 1t to them"
A happy girl was when went home
conscious that l had the key to for
tune for the man | loved. He was to
arrive within a few days, and l re-
solved to impart the finding OF his
mothers will first Of all persons to
him.
One week after his arrival he kept
his promise to come to see me. | could
scarcely wait to make inquiries con
firming my theory as to his Identity,
but when l did l was told by him that
his mothers maiden name was Har
riet Geay and her father was Henry
Schuyler. | had the will I'm desk neal
by and. taking it out. handed it to him
/ kept my eyes fixed on his face
while he read the document. and Il
was q study.
When my find was reported to Mr.
Tucker and his establishment had abat
ed | asked him how the viii coult
have got into my fathers possession
The only explanation he could give wal
that the papers Of the two clients ha,
got mixed in the affair and that thesr
papers belonging 20 Mr.. Oglesby haC
been handed to my father He haC
doubtless put them away without look
ing at them.
Ned Schuyler effected a compromis
with those in possession Of the estat
that was his by Inheritance, and |
made him rich He was obliged L
give up a great deal in order to avoi.
litigation. but even with this surrendc
his estate was worth much more tina
It had been when the will was made
Since Ned was now far richer than
he no longer scrupled to ask me to b
his wife Besides. it was / throug
whose instrumentality his propert
came to him.