Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1915-04-21
CHAPTER XIV.
The Will,

Ing leatler pOcKetDOOK 1lleO
with important looking pa
pers-"in his will''- he repeated.
Mrs. Chichester stopped crying.
"Eh? A will?"
the dear old gentleman leave will?"
Even Ethel stopped playing with Pet
and listened languidly to the CONVEX
sation.
Mr.. Hawkes., realizing he had their
complete interest, went on Importantly:
LAS Mr.. Kingsnorth's legal adviser
up to the time Of his untimely death
l have come here to make you &C.
quainted with some of its contents"
He spread formidable looking doc
ument wide open on the table, adjust
ed his pince nez and prepared to read.
Dear old Natv' said Alaric reflec-
lively. DO you remember. mater, we
met him at Victoria station once when
l was little more than a baby? Yet
can see him now as plainly as if it
were yesterday-a portly, sandy haired
old buck with three jolly chins."
very. very thin" said Mr.. Hawkes.
softly.
WAS he?" from Alaric. Fancy that.
1t just shows, mater, doesn't it," He
bent eagerly over the table as Hawkes.
traced some figures with pencil on
one Of the pages of the will.
"How much did he leave" And
Alaric's voice rose to a pitch of we'll
defined interest.
His estate is valued. approximately,
at some 100000" replied the lawyer.
Alaric gave long. low whistle and
smiled broad, comprehensive smile.
Ethel for the first time showed a
CLEAN Of genuine interest.
Mrs. Chichester began to cry again.
"Perhaps it was my fault l didn't see
him oftener," she said.
Alaric, unable to curb his curiosity,
burst out with. How did the old boy
split it upT
ITO his immediate relations he left
Mr.. Hawkes. looked up from the will
and found three pairs of eyes fixed on
him. He stopped. 1t may be that
constant association with the law
courts destroys faith in human nature;
but, whatever the cause, it seemed to
Mr.. Hawkes. in each of those eyes was
reflected the one dominant feeling
greed The expression in the family's
combined eyes was astonishing in it's
directness, in its barefacedness. It
struck the dignifed gentleman sudden
ly dumb.
"Well? Well?" cried Alaric. How
much? Don't stop right in the middle
of an important thing like that. You
make me as nervous as chicken"
Mr.. Hawkes. returned to the will and
after looking at it moment without
reading said:
ITO his immediate relations Mr..
Kingsnorth left, regret to say-noth-
ing"
A momentary silence fell like a pail
over the stricken Chichester family.
Mrs. Chichester rose. indignation
flashing from the eyes that moment
since showed healthy hope.
"Nothing?" she cried incredulously.
A\OL pCAAJ pACNC W AAy OACS SCA
tured Alaric.
The faintest suspicion of smile
fitted across Ethers face.
Hawkes. looked keenly at them and
answered.:
II deeply regret to say-nothing."
Mrs. Chichester turned to Ethel, who
had begun to stroke Pet again.
His own flesh and blood!' cried the
poor lady.
what a shabby old beggar!' com.
mented Alaric Indignantly.
"He was always the most selfish, the
most began Mrs. Chichester. when
Mr.. Hawkes.. who had been turning
over the pages Of the document before
him, gave an ejaculation Of relief.
"Ah! Here we have it. This, Mrs
Chichester, is how Mr.. Kingsnorth ex
pressed his attitude toward his rela'
lions In his last will and testament:
81 am the only member OF the
Kingsnorth family who ever made an,