Ellsworth American., 1914-02-18
Clever:
Device
A Story Showing How a Fortune
Hung In the Balance
By ESTHER VANDEVEER
By ESTHER VANDEVEER

business. what do you suppose?"
What do l suppose? Why, l sup
pose I'm to have good dinner. I'm
certainly hungry"
Aunt Cynthia is coming to live with
u.s. You know she was at our house
till father died Then she went to live
with Ellen Stone,'
whats the matter with Ellen
Stone?"
Aunt Cynthia thinks she doesn't
care for her except for what she can
get out of her Miss Stone is very ex-
travagant-runs up bills and has them
sent to Aunt Cynthia. You know Aunt
Cynthia is very well off"
q didn't-tili you told me. How do
you know which is at fault, your aunt
or her niece?"
Il don't 1 have never seen Ellen
Stone"
what are you going to do about TAX
ing your aunt in?'
THAT depends upon you"
"No, it doesn't; decide it for your
self"
"dNiAIlSnI was OiIe oL lilDSp
women with whom any one could
get on. She was kind hearted and
would like very much to give her aunt
a home. Mrs Cynthia Withers. a
widow, would pay good round sum
for her board. and that would be
benefit to Mrs. MacKnight. who, on
her husbands salary, found it diff
cult to make ends meet. John Mac
Knight would rather have had Old
Nick come to reside in his house, but
he knew that pecuniarily it would re-
lieye the strain on his wife. and he
consented for her sake.
Mrs. Withers came and seemed
much relieved to get out of Miss
Stones clutches. The old lady was
good deal broken down, and Mary Mac
Knight devoted herself to building her
up. In this she succeeded. so far as
any one could succeed, having a sooth-
ing effect upon her and taking great
pains to minister to her comfort. The
aunt had been much attached to Mary
while the latter was child, and it
seemed now that she could not get on
with any one else.
Mrs. Withers had a son who was of
a rowing disposition. He was not fit
would she have been able to live with
him. owing to her nervous condition.
A year after she came to the Mac
knights, she received news that her
son had died abroad. After his death
she said to Mary:
I'm going to make new will
While was living with Ellen Stone l
think she must have hypnotized me.
for one day when was ill she asked
me to sign paper, and / did as she
bid me. She had provided two wit
nesses, and this makes me think that
the paper / signed was will. If so
have no doubt that it cut off my own
ty except a legacy to you. When l
got better | asked Ellen to let me see
the paper l had signed, and she said
that, since my recovery, it was of no
consequence; fearing that | was 60
ing to die. she had simply had me sign
instructions with regard TO my funeral
and giving her authority to draw the
necessary funds. When l insisted on
seeing what had signed she said she
had burned it."
The new will executed by Mrs. With
ers left Mary MacKnight all her prop
erty. The aunt showed the document
to her heir and told her that in case of
her death she would find it in an an
tique writing desk in her room in
which she kept all her papers.
Not long after the execution of this
will Mrs Withers was advised by her
physician to go to sanitarium, where
she would escape the noises of city
and have such trained attendance as
she required. She did not wish to go.
Though she was a great care. Mary
had become accustomed to minister to
her wants. and since she was Mary's
only living near blood relative Mary
had grown every year more attached
| to her. Mary went with her to the
sanitarium and regretfully left her
| there.
1t WIS UOpeu ludt Tue luNdilu Woulu
after rest be so restored as to war
| rant her return. but she gradually be-
came more dependent on doctors and
nurses and remained in the sanitarium
rs long as she lived.
One day in February John Mac
| knight put his wife on steamer and
sent her to the Bermuda islands. The
| winter had been long, and Mary hat
| not stood up under it very well. While
she was away John slept at home. tax
| ing his meals outside.
1t happened that the day Mary re
turned. her husband was unable t.
meet her at the dock. being detained
at his place of business by a matter
| of Importance. Mary arrived at homt
| about o'clock in the afternoon, and
having a duplicate key with her. le
| herself into the house. Going at once
] upstairs she was about to enter hel
| room when she heard something thai