The evening Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1918-1920, 1919-03-14
-=By
William DudleyPe lley

war and was killed by the indians;
Josiah went out to Indianna and later
we heard he was in some kind OF
business in Chicago. He's living
! there now, / think / never saw him.
| Mother was the youngest, born while
Grandpa and Grandma lived for q
time on the Holbrook place over to
Merrittsville-"
There were no children by your
uncle Adam? Are you positive?"
| eve never heard of Uncle A!am
| being married.
! And JOSIAH. 2"
Mother said none of the family
I heard from him much aftea. he w:.nt
west. There was SOME trouble be-
tween him and his father. I thIl3k. "
"@Ah, yes. Good. Very Good. Ex-
cellent- Just as I wrote them"
Wrote who?"
/ The Judge ignored the question.
It was all part of his legal "cera-
| rnony," AS Judge of probate, he
knew all of this kineology but also
! as part of his love for effect, ne had
called upon the woman to go through
it to add to the mystery and import
of the proceeding.
~ understand you had half
brother who was amply taken care of
by ytul stepfather's demise
"Why Judge, you know all about
that. You handled it yourself. But
wouldn't call it he was amply
taken care of. You know the. hou So
didn't bring buyer on account Of
its reputation, what Pa Wheeler
did, and the bank TODD It for
the mortgage. It hasn't been sold
( yet, has it,"
mo" Farmer answered. "But to
get back to your halfbrother, ard
your immediate family: There were
no other children but you and Ar
thar?" - @
"Why sertainly not!"-
"Then l take it that outside Of any
offspring which your uncle Josiah
might have left in the west, you are
the only living representative OF the
Hebion Woods?"
Il guess I am, Mr.. Farmer"
Good. Very good. All, excellent"
"What has happened, Judge? What
is all this about"
"Two months ago." declared the
Judge, 81 received letter from Pitts
Huling, Donovan & Wiley-a finn
of attorneys in Chicago. You asked
me moment ago if the news had
for you was bad. In one respect it
/ is, although / presume the relation
ship is. so far removed that it will
! not seriously embarrass you. TIE
fact is, Mrs. Purse, your uncle JOSIAH
of Chicago, has passed away.
Mary sat searching the yourg law
yer's face with frightened eyes.
tsHe died sometime since, at what
| date I am not informed. Two months
ago, I say, / received a letter from
/ the mentioned firm Of attorneys. re-
ouesting certain facts regarding TIL,
icxistence of any members of the. He:
bion Wood family or other near re
iatives. l replied consistently with
the facts you have just. conf. e ;
EYES," Mary whispered.
| Jack sat with wide-opened eyes and
lips apart. .''' q =
81 might say that considerable cor
respondence followed. I did flet in
form you what was in progress fo1
did not wish to raise false hopes
and bitter disappointnents.. Tkirgs
| have come to the point where you,
lsignature is required to certain afr
davits and other documents and
f therefore,
"My signature is necessary to doc
uments? What do you mean"
"In some aspects of the case | am
as much in the dark as yourself
From present indications, however,
Judge it safe to assert that you a &c
ah,cut to inherit either money OIL
PR perty." 80.
"I-an1-about--to
"The amount of this money CT The
value of this property has not bees
disclosed to me. / have been rera,n.
ed by Pitts, Huling, Donovan & Wiley
to look up the possible heirs ri Josiah
Wood here in eVrmont. From GER
tain things in tie corresp .ndence / .le
Lot think your mothers brother died
WORTH very great amount. But SC
far as | can Judge, regardless Of
what it irclrces, you arr the oni.
contestant"
i AYou mean somebody's died and