Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1922-12-11

10 the attic. in one hand. and small |
brass box, like n cash-box, In the other. |
They They NAV do what they like, |
but I'll chcckmate them still. said he.
with an oath. Tell Mary that shall want
a fire in my room today. and send down
TO Fordhsm. the Horshsm lawyer
Il did as he ordered. and when the
lawyer arrived | was ask ed TO step up
TO the room. The fire was burning
brightly, and in the crate there was n
mass of black, fluffy ashes. rs OF burned
paper while the brass box stood open
and empty beside IT, Is ! glanced at
the box | noticed. with start. that
upon the I'D were printed the treble II
which had read IN the morning upon
/ the envelope.
i wish YOU. John said my uncle,
/ to witness my viii leave my estate,
with all its advantages and all its dis
1 advantages to my brother, your father.
whence II will. no doubt, descend to YOU.
II YOU can enjoy it IN peace. well and
good, II YOU ind out YOU cannot, take
my advice, my boy. and leave IT 10 your
deadhest enemy. | am sorry To give
YOU such two-edged thing. but can't
say what turn things are gong TO take.
Kindly sign the paper where Mr.. Ford
ham shows YOU
Il signed the paper as directed, and
the lawyer took 1t away with hun. The
singular incident made. ss YOU msN
! think, the deepest impression upon me.
and | Wondered over II. and turned II
every WAY in my mind without being
able 10 make anything OF IT, Yet | could
not shake off the vague feeling OF dread
which II left behind though the sensa-
ton grew less keen as the weeks passed.
and nothing happened 10 disturb the
-Sual routine OF our lives. could see
a change in my uncle, however. He
drank more than ever, and he was less
inclined for any sort OF society. Most
of his time he would spend IN ms room,
with the door locked upon the inside,
but sometimes he would emerge in r
sort of drunken frenzy, and would burst
out of the house and tear about the
garden with revolver in his hand.
screaming out that he was afraid OF no
man. and that he was not TO be Cooped
up. like sheep IN pen, by man or
| devil. When these hot iits were over,
however. he would rush tumultuously
, in ~ the door, and lock and bar II be-
! hind HIM like q man who can brazen II
out no longer against the terror which
| lies az the roots Of his soul. At such
times | have seen his face. even on q
cold dsv. glisten with moisture, as
though II were new raised from a basin
We'll, 10 come 10 an end of the mat
, ter. Mr Holmes. and not TO abuse your
. patience, there came a night when he
p made one of those drunken sallies iron
which be never came back. We found
) him, when We went 10 search for him
face downward in a little green-scum.
med pool, which lay at the foot OF tn,
? garden. There was no sign OF any vlO
p lence, and the water was but two feet
e deep, 50 that the jury, having regard e
( his known eccentricity, brought in ;
p verdict Of suicide. But ], who knew
. how he WINGED from the very thought
Q OF death, had much ado TO persuade
( myself that he had gone out Of his wa,
: 20 meet IT, The matter passed, how
r ever, and my father entered into posses
4 sion Of the estate and OF some IA ,00'
I pounds, which lay TO his credit at th'
: bank"
"One moment" Holmes interposed
Your statement j.. ] foresee, one o
the most remarkable TO which ] .hav
ever listened. Let me have the date o
the reception by your uncle OF the letter
and the date of his supposed suicide.
The latter arrived on March 10. 1881