The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1921-10-01

anu caught TIE Notu anu e0h-cA ~
hand.
sewhat is it darIingT" The old. half
joking maternal manner was all In
earnest now.
PETER he said thickly.
Peters IN China. dear. You remem-
Der that Peter was TO go around the
worldT You remember that, DadT
NO he said musingly. They
thought he slept again, but he present
ly added: Somewhere in Matthew
no, in Mark-Mark is the human one
Mark was as human as his Mas
ter"
"Shau 1 read you from Mark Alix
asked. as his voice sank again. A
shabby old Bible always stood at her
fathers bedside; she reached for it.
and making a desperate effort to
steady her voice, began TO read The
place was marked by an old letter,
and opened at the chapter he seemed
to desire, for as she read he seemed
to be drinking In the words. Once
they heard him whisper, Wonderful !"
Cherry got up on the bed and took
the splendid dying head in her arms;
the murky winter dawn crept in and
the lamp burned sickly in the daylight.
Hong could be heard stirring. Alix
closed the book and extinguished the
lamp. Cherry did not move
"Charityl" the old man said pres
emily, in simple, childish tone. Later,
with bursts of tears, in all the utter
desolation of the days that followed.
Cherry loved to remember that his
last utterance was her name. But
Alix knew, though she never said IT,
that it was to another Charity he
spoke,
Subdued, looking younger and thin
ner in their new black, the sisters
came downstairs, ten days later. for
a business talk. Peter had been named
as one executor; but Peter was far
away, and 1t was a pleasant family
friend, kindly old surgeon of DR..
Strickland's own age. or near it. and
the lawyer, George Sewall, the other
executor. who told them about their
affairs. Anne, as co-heiress, was pres
ent at this talk, with Justin sitting
close beside her. Martin, too, who
had come down for the funeral, was
there.
The house went to the daughters;
there were books and portraits for
Anne. a box or two in storage for
Anne: and Anne was mentioned in the
only will as equally inheriting with
Alexandra and Charity. For some
legal reason that the lawyer and DR..
Younger made clear, Anne could not
fully inherit, but her share would be
only trife less than her cousins.
Things had reached this point when
Justin Little calmly and confidently
claimed that Anne's share was TO be
based upon an old loan of Anne's ia
Their to his brother, loan Of three
thousand dollars to float Lee Striek-
lands invention, with the understand
ing that Vincent Strickland be subse-
quently entitled to one-third of the re-
turns. As the patent had been sold
for nearly one hundred and fifty thou
sand dollars, one-third Of it, with &C
cumulative interest for ten years, Of
which no payment had ever been made
Anne, was a large proportion of the
entire estate, and the development Of
this claim, in Justin Titles assured,
woodeny voice, caused every one to
look grave.
The estate was not worth one hun
! dred and fifty thousand dollars now,
/ by any means; Ii had been reduced to
! little more than two-thirds of that
/ sum, and Anne's bright concern that
every one should be satisfied with
what was right, and her ingenu6ns
/ pleasure In Justin's cleveness IN
thinking of this possibility, were met
with noticeable coldness.
If Anne was wrong. and the paper
| she held in her hand worthless, each
/ girl would inherit a comfortable little
fortune, but If Anne was right, Cherry
and Alix would have only few thou
sand dollars apiece. and the old h0me
The business talk was over before
any of them realized the enornity OF
Anne's contention, and Anne and Jus.
| tin had departed. But both the Ole
doctor and the lawyer agreed with
| Martin that it looked as If Anne was
right, and when the family was alone
again, and had had the time to diges
the matter, they felt as If a thunder
bolt had fallen across their lives.
"That Anne could do it," Alix said
over and over Cherry seemed dazed
spoke not at all, and Martin had sait
little.
'People win do anything for mon
| cyl" he observed once drily He ha'
met Justin sternly. 'Tm not thinking
of nv wife's share-I didn't marry he
for her money; never knew she hat
anyi But I'm thinking Of Alix."
aYes-we must think Of darlini
Alix!" Anne had said, nervously cage
that there should be no quarrel. Il
Uncle Lee intended me to have all thi
money, then I suppose l must take II
but / shan't be happy unless things ar
arranged so that Alix shall be com
Portable ~
'B-but the worst of 1t is, ak :
Cherry stammered, suddenly. on tn
Uay before she and Martin we're q
return 10 Red Greek, IL counted OF
having enough-enough to live my owl
lifeI AK, 1 can't can't go back !!
| 'Why, my darling" Alix exclaimed
as Cherry began TO cry in her arms
''NIy darling, it is as bad as all thatE
a0b A1fvu 1vbfSnared the little sis