Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1916-06-01
a Deathbel
triumph
BY WILLIAM CHANDLER


die for short time, then come to life
again for certain purpose?'
What purpose?" asked the doctor.
The invalid cast his eyes about the
room to see that no one was present.
then, stretching forth his hand. drew
the doctor to him and whispered whit
he had to say. When lie came to q
pause the doctor said:
II have suspected as much"
"Can 1t be done!' asked the invalid
ut can be tried"
Some more conversation followed, IN
which the doctor gave the sick nla.l
instructions, and the sick man did the
same by the doctor. Then the latter
ended the matter by saying:
"Are you ready?"
ayes"
The doctor took from his medicine
case Il tablet and placed it in the IN
TENTS mouth.
The sick mun, who was lying on his
back, stared at the ceiling. lnmovablc.
The doctor Went hurriedly to the door
and opened It, There stood the wife OF
the invalid.
madam" said the doctor. 81 fcar
that your husband is dead"
The woman hurried intothe room aud
stood owe" the sickbetl for II few mo-
ments looking dow, into the pale face.
The DOCTOR who was beside her. closed
the eyes of her husband, then led her
away. saying:
This has been Il long trial to you.
Your watch is now over. Go and rest
yourself"
She suffered herself to he led away
and within an hour was in bed aud
asleep
Paul Markham passed away at dawn
the next morning. Preparations were
made for the funeral which was held
three days later, and on the fourth
day his widow, who was his second
wife, and her two children by a for
mer husband, all dressed III deep
mourning, entered the drawing room Ut
the house in which Mr.. Markham had
died and took seats. A number Of
other persons, including a lawyer, ell
tered, and when all We're seated the
attorney unfolded document and was
about to begin it's reading when DIR.
Blanchard, who had attended the de-
ceased, entered i'll company with girl
Of fifteen. There was about her Il mel
ancholy that savored OF despair.
81 have here" said the lawyer, 1.-The
last will and testament of Paul Mark
ham, deceased, executed one year ago"
He then read the will, which left all
his property to his beloved wife, Jane
Markham, trusting that she would suf
6ciently provide for his daughter. Ethel
Markham. Having stated that the will
had been duly signed and Witnessed,
he added that it would be Immediate
ly filed for probate He was refolding
the document when Dr. Blanchard
arose and, drawing a piper from his
pocket, said:
II have will executed a few hours
before Paul Markham's DEATH
The widows countenance changed
Immediately.
"If you have any such WILL" she
said, "it is forgery. AT any rate it
was not witnessed. That | know, lie.
cause / was in attendance upon my
husband every day and hour during
! his last illness, and know no ono
who could have witnessed will ell
tered the house"
"What time did you go to bed the
night your husband died?' asked tho
doctor.
AT 10 o'clock"
"Your husband did not die till
O'Clock the next morning."
"He died at 0 O'clock in the evening.
You called me into the room where lie
lay and told me he was dead
81 told You | feared he was dead.
He was very low He revived, and at
midnight ! drew this simple will for
him, bequeathing all his property to
his daughter Ethel Markham. Two
persons came at my call and witnessed
the will while you We're asleep"
The woman stared Mt tile doctor. al
though she could hardly believe her
senses. For years she had dominated
her husband and for Il year, since she
had forced him to make il will IN her
favor, had watched HID carefully To
make sure that lie did not make AM
had outwitted her.
LET me see it," she said to the doc
tor.
He held the paper before her. She
read it and recognized her husbnnd's
signature, though it Ind been written
In the agony OF death. Realizing that
she had been foiled. she arose from
her seat and. followed by lier two chil
dren, stalked out Of the room
DIR. Blanchard by the terms of tho
deathbed will was made Ethcls guard
ian, and she thereafter made her resi-
dence with him. Her life had been
nearly crushed ont of her by her step
mother. and it required some time Ia
restore her to a healthy stale Of mind
and body. But by tile time She came
of age she was completely recovered.
for her surroundings as member Of
the DOCTORS family were all that could
be desired. and he knew how to treat
her to her advantage professionally.
In his old age his savings of years
were swept away in n commercial pan
ic, and Ethel Markham provided fer
him and those of his family who were
still too young to take care of them
selves.
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