The Wahpeton times., 1917-12-06
A Scheme That
Failed
By ELlNOR MARSH
Copyright. 1917. Western Newspaper Union

brothers and Though of an old and very
respectable family. were poor.
An uncle in South America died and
left them coffee plantation. The be-
quest was made with the provision
that they live on the property and
develop It. 1t was not worth much,
but might be made valuable.
Ben was disposed to try business
scheme mt home and forfeited his share
of the Inheritance by remaining where
he was. Jim took up the property in
South America.
Ben lived with widowed sister,
who soon after died. leaving her broth.
er little four-year-old girl.
At the age Of fifteen the girl. Adele
Weatherby. became her uncle's house.
keeper. There was sincere affection
between uncle and niece. the relation
between them being more like that be.
tween father and daughter.
When Adele WAS seventeen years old
h"r uncle paid some attention to Miss
the Fashionable set.
Whom Mr.. Coverdale was about fifty
years old he fell i'll. Miss Conynglnm
visited him frequently and sent deli
cacies. He was devntedly nursrd by
Adele for months. when unfortunately
Conyngham brtOoll herself, bag and
baggage to the COverdale home to
care for the invalitls, not waiting for
an invitation or even their permission.
Both invaids were Ill n long while
and Miss Conynghnm was unremittine
in her attentions to them.
Meanwhile Jim Covrrdale in South
America had prosrered.
The only knowledge of Jim Cover
dates growing wealth that ever
reached his native town came in this
wise: a man who had been to South
America met Miss Conynghnm and she
asked him if he had ever soon or
heard anything of q Jim Covcr,lnle liv-
in% in Brazil?
"Yrs," was the reply, II have been
on his plantations"
Oils pl;tntations?"
eyes. suppose he has Il dozen of
them. Jim Covcrlale is an enormously
rich man."
AT this point of the story several
important matters connected with it
nccnlrrd very near together. Jim
C"vrr'iHlr sold out his property in Brat
Zil and left for his former home in tn"
United States. Before his departure
he made ii will leaving all he possessed
to- his brother. This will he sent. by a
different steamer from the one on
which he sailed. tn his brothers lawyer.
John Williams. With instructions to
say nothing about it. The ship on
which Jim Covrrsa!c sailed was lost
in a storm :,n! all on board went down
with her.
Ben Covertlnle died month after
the arrivH! OF the will. but he never
knew of his inheritance. Then came
news of the sh;nwrrck and Jim Cow
crdalr's name in the list Of passengers.
When Ben roverdale's will was
opened il was found that his small
property was lef, To- Adele.
When Miss Conyngham heard of the
death Of jim Covcldalc she felt GER
tain he had left his property to his
brother. Ben. Hcnrin.! of Jim Cover.
dale's death, Mr.. Williams opened The
will and announced to .Adnl" that she
was the owner OF a princrly fortune.
Then cam" Miss Conyn"I,nm with a
statement, that Ben Cnvrrdae had told
her that in IL cniiril to his will he had
left her third of his property.
The fact was. Miss Conyngham
knowing that Jim Coverdale was rich.
that he was dead and had doubtless
left his property to his brother, tried
to- induce Ben Covertlnlc 10 marry her.
Failing in that she used all her cner-
gics to induce him to leave her Il por-
ton of his possessions. Covcrtiaie
finally yielded and sent for his So
licitOr.
When the will was admitted to pro-
bate it was evident that something
had been tern from it. This soon he
came q matter of general knowledge
and Immediately the friends of Adele
Wnathcrby and those Of Miss Conyng-
ham We're pitted against each o:he".
Up to this time the contents @f
James CovrrdaIr's will were unknown
to anyone but Adele and the attorney,
who had it in his keeping.
For time neither admitted nor de-
nctl tina, amy rm!iril was attached 10
the viii. Later the attorney acknuwl.
ad"cti lhHt .hrre had been Il cndirl and
.!ll1 it had been torn off, but this :,d-
mission rs made only To Miss Conyng-
ham. She was assured that she would
not be benefited by its production and
she w:ls advised not to compel him TO
produce it.
This was the end of the matter till
the case cam" into court and Mr.. Will
in,lS was called upon to state if the
will lad been miitilntcl. He produced
tn" will and Il fragment, which he
showed had been torn from it by the
Jagged edges nf each paper which fit
ted into the other. Then he proceeded
to read the fragment:
'To be left attached to this will only
In case Mildred Conyngham attempts
to Claim any Of my property. She took
advantage Of my illness and that of
my niece to come into this house un-