The Kansas City sun. (Kansas City, Mo.) 1908-1924, 1917-05-12

Now that they were alone in the
house, which had more than they
needed, Esther conceived the idea of
adding to their income by taking some
boarders. She began to overhaul, and
%renovate the bedrooms. In the room
where the old man had died was an
old-fashioned secretary, n desk and
| bookcase combined. 1t had been thor
oughly ransacked in the search for the
missing will, and Esther with a touch
Of tenderness began removing the con-
tents Of the drawers and pigeon holes.
She found nothing she had not seen
before. Last of all she took off the
sheet Of solled plotting paper fastened
with thumb lacks to the writing desk.
At one side, as though showed in
hastily, she saw a folded paper. She
opened it.
1t was the missing will. In 1t the
house and lot, and all money in bank
were to be divided equally between the
three heirs. A codicil disposed Of some
small articles of personal property
which she scarcely noticed, so stunned
was she with the benumbing blow Of
the discovery. The pleasant home she
had learned to think of as her own,
the plans she had laid FOR adding TO
their income with boarders all sudden
~ melted into nothing. 1t was too
horrible to consider with reason and
calmness. She had only removed two
of the tacks, and putting the will back,
she replaced them. She felt she must
have time to gather her wits, to be
able to think.
Then came the tempter. Why
should she give up that which was
really hers? Had she not taken care
of this old man as though he were her
own, lever leaving undone anything
she could do for his comfort. Had
she not. at the last spent days and
sleepless nights ministering to him?
Yes, clearly it was hers. He had
seemed to grow more and more to re-
gard Richard and her as his children,
and she had come to love the old man
almost as a father.
But why had he made this will? She
remembered now that before he had
lapsed into Inconsistencies, when she
had thought him delirious, he had sew
eral times asked her to take up the
tacks, and she had thought he had
meant the carpet as he had intended
to have a new one. Perhaps he want
ed to destroy the will. Then she would
only be carrying out his wish if she
did.
She heard her husband coming in,
and rose hastily, leaving the room.
She did not mean to tell him just then.
If she decided to destroy the will, he
must never know. She was sure he
would never consent to such a thing.
But the most unthinkable of all was
the idea that he should know she had
even thought Of doing such an act.
His condemnation would be the I'M
bearable thing.
That evening she went to a commit
tee meeting. She could not spend the
time alone with him till she had decid-
ed what to do.
She came in quietly, thinking he
may have gone to bed, but he was no
there. She saw a light upstairs. Some
thing prompted her to go to the ole
mans room. The door was ajar. Shit
looked in. Richard sat at the desk, he
had lighted a candle, and was JUS
about to hold a paper to the flame
She rushed into the room, and he
quickly thrust the paper into his
pocket.
Richard" she cried. "Glve me that
paperl Give it to me"
"What paper?" he asked, trying t.
put her off.
1.-THE one you were about to burn
You have no right, unless 1 see it!'
He looked at her, his face dropped
he sat an instant, not speaking, ther
he handed her the will.
Cod" he cried. "YOu came jus
in time to save me! Suppose 1 hat
done it-what an awful thing to carr,
with you through life"
"Yes," she answered. what a
awful thingl"
There was to her now no waiting t
decide.
"We will go together tomorrow, an
hand it to the lawyer" she said.
In the codicil among some little keel
sakes was q small box in a safe d.
post drawer, the contents of whic
were willed to Esther.
"Some old jewelry, perhaps" sh
o said to the other heirs at the secon
reading of the will.
The contents of the little box turne
out to be seven thousand dollars 1
good bonds.