Williams news., 1913-10-30
Stealing a Plate

tie BOurn. To think that one nOrrl0
 old plate should make all this trou
 ble! It was mean of Uncle John tC
 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
 mother and one ito my father. Surely
 that was a fair division of the two
 His intention was all right"
 Well, then," said Nettie, stamping
 a very pretty little foot, its shame,
 ful that our parents should be so hor-
 ribly stubborn as to fight over one miserable old plate!"
 You can't blame them, exactly D defended Harry, charitably.
 And in the meantime we can't even announce our engagement, |" walled Nettie, ito say nothing of get ting married.' We don't want to get married un- til spring" reminded Harry, optimis. tically. "Something will turn up be- fore then-if 1 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 a 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 talk en the matter into the courts, each in- sisting that the remaining plate was the one Jason Pomfret had repeated ly 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 a great favor once, and Dick did not hesitate moment. He managed to meet Mrs. Bourn at an evening party.
 "I 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 his Washington plates were not genuine" Don't tell me that" she command ed with a sniff. I've seen the plate hundred times and I know very well that it is 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 a hun dred times, but you never looked at 1t with doubt because you took it for granted that it was what Pomfret said it was. You look 1t over careful ly and you'll get the credit for drop ping the fight over plate that is not !. worth fighting over."
 "f 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 he lawyer eXecutor at the same time. 1t is the same that I took from the cabinet" declared the lawyer tart ly. not relishing the suggestion that in hot l
 Its not that" Mrs. Bourn hastened to explain. I've always had an idea that the plate was not genuine and 1 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 collectors vanity and pride in his knowledge. Harry told me the other night that ere of his friends, also, had expressed his doubts. Pm going to bring an- other expert in."
 T 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 if the plate was not. With a sigh she turned it over to Silas who in turn laid it on the desk.
 q don't want ever to see it again." he declared 'To 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"
 We can be good friends, still, Silas," she reminded.
 Let's go out and have luncheon and talk it over.'' suggested Silas; and they talked it over with such good effect that they went from there to the jewellers and when they came out solitaire on the widows finger announced that she expected shortly to change her state of loneliness. -.
 Nettie and Harry, watching across