The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1917-11-15
A Fortune
In Borneo
The Story Of an Eccentric
Will.
By EDNA D. BARLOW

The three heirs at law were
grouped about the table in the Ii
brary. At the head of the table,
seated in the favorite chair of the
late William Lane, was his lawyer,
who looked sharply over his spec,
tacles at the girl and the two men
apd then glanced down at docu,
ment in his hand.
"You all know" he began gravely
"that your late uncle was a man Of
eccentric habits. He was fond OF
travel, especially in the remote
quarters of the globe. His depar.
lures and his homecomings were
startingly unexpected, and when he
was at home he occupied this resi-
dence with his only niece, Miss
Lane"-he bowed toward the black
gowned girl and resumed-"as his
companion and his devoted and dis
interested nephews as constant Wis
itors.
"Your uncle'S marked eccentricity
Of habit may explain in measure
the strange disposition he has made
Of his property. I will now proceed
to read the will"
Stripped Of legal forms and
phrases and omitting the preamble,
the document was as follows:
II hereby give and bequeath all
Of my property, real and personal,
which Is represented by various Sc.
curities, a list of which is attached
hereto, solely and absolutely to the
one of the following named persons
who discovers the hiding place OF
these securities. These documents
are buried in the island of Borneo
in a spot situated ten miles in a
northeasterly direction from the
town Dakar, in the province of sar-
awak. I recommend that my neph-
ews, Allen Lane and Burton Lane,
and my niece, Cynthia Lane, begin
this search Immediately after my
death, and to the one Of the three
who discovers this hiding place ]
give and bequeath all of the proper
ty of which I may die possessed"
'Here are few general direc-
tions that may assist you in discov-
ering the securities" said Mr.. Phil
lips blandly as he gave to each one
a slip of typewriter paper.
"Well," said Allen Lane, moving
toward the door and followed close
ly by his brother, "it is evident that
Uncle William intended that we
should invest a large sum Of money
in order to acquire possession of his
fortune, but in my opinion it will
be worth the expenditure. I have
no doubt that surveyors can locate
the spot, and the sooner the venture
is made the quicker We will achieve
results"
els it your intention to 60 to
Borneo at once?" inquired the law
yer.
eyes, as soon as I can arrange
my affairs. I hope my brother will
60 with me-"
"Oh, I shall do that-never fear, D
interpolated Burton hastily.
T would suggest, gentlemen, that
your cousin, Miss Cynthia, be left
in charge of the residence until the
estate is settled. The small income
that will suffice to support her dur,
ing your absence would take the
place of money paid to caretaker
She is quite penniless, as you know,
and depended entirely upon the gen
erosity Of your uncle"
every WELL" they agreed rather
grudgingly.
Cynthia Lane turned to the law
yer with a puzzled look on her fail
face. 'I cannot understand" she
said refectively, chow Uncle Will
liam could expect me to enter the
contest, for he knew that I did not
have the means to 60 to Borneo."
'In spite of your poverty, Miss
Cynthia, I firmly believe that you
will be the one to discover the Lane
Millions" encouraged Mr.. Phillips
with an enigmatic smile. "Use your
wits. Use your wits~
"But uncle said he never had
been in Boneo, and so I cannot
see"-
'Use your wits~ snapped the
lawyer as he bowed himself away.
After that Cynthia did use he1
wits, but apparently to no definite