The Tabor independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1913-19??, 1916-03-16
CHAPTER Xxx (Continued.)

fore we go into that, let me understand
exactly what these interests are. Mr..
Vaughan's estate, 1 understand, Is a
large one"
Silva shrugged his shoulders:
Il have understood so," he said, but
Mr.. Vaughan himself told me-"
What was that?"
That 1t was his intention to give
this place as a monastery for the study
OF our religion, and to endow it."
DID he mention the amount OF the
endowment"
He asked me, not long ago, If ST.
100000 would be sufficient"
Had he drawn W a deed OF gift?"
Il do not know"
Or made a will?"
Again Silva shrugged indifferently
to dieate that he was also ignorant on
that point, and 1 turned to Miss
Vaughan.
IF there Is a will" asked, where
would it probably be?"
There is a safe here" she said, "in
which my father kept his papers of
value" and she went to the wall and
swung out q hinged section Of shelly
ing. The door OF a safe appeared be-
hind 1t.
approached and looked at it, then
tried the door but IL was locked.
'To open this, we must know the
combination" said; cor else we shall
have to get an expert"
II know the combination" she broke
in; 1T is 81
But 1 stopped her.
MY dear Miss Vaughan ] laughed,
zone doesn't go around procla1ming the
combination Of q safe. How do you
happen to know itr'
MY father often had me open the
safe for him."
Does anyone else know it?''
81 do not think So"
Well, suppose we see what is IN the
SAFE" l suggested, and, as she knelt
before 1t, turned away. l. at least, did
not wish to know the combination
That Silva already knew 1t accepted
as certain.
heard the twirling Of the knob, and
O sharp click as the bolts were thrown
back. Then 1 walked to Miss
Vaughan's side and knelt beside her
The interior Of the safe was divided
into the usual compartments, one OF
them equipped with Yale lock. The
key was in the lock, and l turned It.
swung the little door open, and drew
out the drawer which lay behind 1t.
IF there IS a will, it IS probably
here" said; +1et US see," and car
ried the drawer over to the light.
Miss Vaughan followed me, but Silva
had sunk back into his chair, and was
staring abstractedly through the open
door out into the darkness, as though
our proceedings interested him not al
all. Then, as looked into the drawer
l gave a little gasp OF establishment
for It was almost filled with packets OF
bills. There were five of them, neatly
sealed In wrappers OF the National City
bank, and each endorsed to contain
$4,000.
"Why did your father require all this
money!" l asked, but Miss Vaughan
shook her head.
"He always kept money there" she
said, though l never knew the
amount"
glanced at the yogi, but his revery
remained unbroken. Then l laid the
packets on the table and dipped deep
er into the drawer. There were TWO
bank books, some memoranda OF Sc
curities, a small cash book, and, at the
very bottom, an unsealed envelope en-
dorsed, Last will and testament OF
Worthington Vaughan"
Here we are" said, took 1t out, and
replaced the rest of the contents. Shall
we read it now?"
Yves, 1 should like to read it." she
answered quietly.
The document was a short one. II
had evidently been drawn by Vaughan
himself, for 1t was written simply and
without legal phrases. 1t had been
witnessed by Henry and Katherine
Schneider, and was dated only week
previously-but three days before the
murder. ~
"Who are these witnesses? ''I asked
They are the cook and the gard
ener."
do you recognize your fathers writ
ing G,, ,,o,. +naro can he no question
as to that"
1t was a peculiar writing, and very
characteristic one; not easy to read
until one grew accustomed to 1t. But
at the end Of few minutes had mas
tered 1t. The provisions OF the Will
were simple: Elmhurst and the sum OF
81 900 900 in negotiable securities were
left absolutely to my dear and re-
vered master, Francisco Silva, priest
Of the third circle OF silva; and 1ogl
of the ninth degree, to whom l owe
my souls salvation" the bequest to be
used for the purpose of founding a
monastery for the study or the doc
trines of SaiVaism, and as an asylum
for all true believers. The remainder
of his estate was left absolutely to his
daughter, to dispose of as she saw fit'
ut Is, however, my earnest wish" the
will concluded, that my daughter
Marjorie should enter upon the way,
and accept I'd high destiny which the
master offersfher as a priestess OF our
great Lord May the all seeing One
guide her steps Alright!
There was a moments silence as
finished; then I glanced at Miss
Vaughan Her eyes were fixed; her
face was rapt and shining.
She felt my gaze upon her, and
turned to face me.
"As your attorney, Miss Vaughan" /
said, ut is my duty to advise you that
this Will would probably not hold in
law. think, it would be comparative
Iy easy to convince any court that your
father was not Of sound mind when
he drew it. You see, Senior Silva"
added, that there is at once conflict
Of interests"
But Silva shook his head with little
smile
There is no conflict" he said. IF
Miss Vaughan does not approve her
fathers wishes, they are as though
they were not!"
Il do approve them" the girl cried
passionately, her hands against her
heart. II do approve them"
"All Of them?" 1 asked.
She swung full upon me, her eyes
af1ame. -. ~
yes, all of them" she cried. "Oh,
Master receive mel" and she flung
herself on her knees by Silvas chair.