The Lamar register., 1920-04-14

JOnn lcdpeo 10 f1lb rect
ed, that was your misfortune. l
merely mention these things because
/ am your friend. Such friendship
led me first to inform you what had
happened over the phone. 1 realized
that Frederick's hasty determination
to devise his property elsewhere was
the result of a quarrel. / believed 1t
my duty to give you opportunity to
patch that quarrel up with the least
possible delay.
81 have. II Is true, performed an un-
professional act which, If known,
would expose me to severe criticism,
There is, however, no taint of criminal
intent upon my conduct and, no doubt,
my course would be fully vindicated,
were l now 20 go directly before the
court and testify to the existence of a
will"
But that could not be proved. 1t
has never been found"
quite true-or rather II may have
been found and destroyed. It chances,
however. that took the precaution to
make a carbon copy"
"Unsignedf
ayes, but along with mis- unsigned
copy I also retain the original reno.
randa furnished me In Frederick Cav
cndlsh's own handwriting. | believe.
from legal standpoint. hy the aid OF
l:y evidence. the court would be very
apt to hold such a Will proved
He leaned suddenly forward. facing
the shrinking Cavendlsh and bringing
his hand down hard upon the desk.
"Do you perceive now what this will
means? Do You realize where sucn
testimony would place youf Under
the law. providing he died without n
will, You were the sole heir 10 the
property Of Frederick Caveuhish. It
was widely known you werc not on
friendly terms. The evening of his
death you quarreled openly In public
restaurant. Later. In spirit Of
friendship. called you up and said he
had made will practically disinherlt-
ing you. Between that time and the
next morning he is murdered In his
own apartments, his safe rifled, and
yet the only paper missing is this
will, to the existence of which l can
testify. II suspicion is once cast upon
you. how can you clear yourself? Can
you prove that you were in your own
apartments, asleep In your own bed
| from one o'clock until eight? Answer
that"
Cavendish tried, but although his
lips moved. they gave utterance to no
sound. EnrIght scarcely gave him op-
portunIty.
$50, the words won't come. i
| thought not. Now, listen No living
person-not even my partner-has
| been Informed of what has occurred.
The witnesses, am sure, did not know
the nature of the paper they signed.
| Frederick Cavendish had this viii
| executed In moment of anger and
devised his estate to number of
charities. He had no thought Of i'm
mediate death, but merely desired to
teach you lesson. He proposed TO
disappear-or at least, that is my
theory-in order that he might test
you on a slender income. l am able
to look upon the whole matter from
this standpoint. and base my conduct
accordingly. No doubt this will enable
us to arrive at a perfectly satisfactory
understanding
''You mean that you will maintain
silence as to the WIFI"
Absolutely; as n client your interests
will always be my first concern. OF
course shall expect to represent you
in legal capacity in settling up the
estate. and consequently feel 1t only
Just that the compensation for such
services shall he mutually agreed
upon"
"And your fee?"
"Reasonable. very reasonable, wher
you consider the service | am doing
YOU. and the fact that my professional
repua tion might so easily be involved