The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-03-04

 Selden wrote this will immediately after his daughter left the house to join her sup posed uncle and just prior to the doctors tragic death?"
 "It would seem so, in view of the testi- mony given by Anna Wrightson and the explanation made by Nerissa herself" re- piled Bristow.
 ''The will, however, was drawn up almost a year prior to the date of the asserted quarrel between father and daughter" quietly remarked the elder attorney.
 Bristow shot a swift g7ance at the date on hte document. His face reddened as his eyes confirmed the colonel's statement.
 q fear this matter is preying too heavily on your mind, Gordon," said Colonel Bainbridge solicitously.
 . 'It certainly is driving me distracted" admitted Bristow, passing his hand across his brow in a dazed sort of way. "I am getting so I cannot think nationally"
 "You need rest, my boy" advised the colonel. "Take run out of town for a few days. The hunting is good in the Ken- lucky hills across the river. Tramping over the uplands with your gun and dogs will put new life into you and enable you to cope more effectively with the serious prob- lem before us. If you break down now, there is no telling what the result will be to-her. Leave this matter to me for the moment"
 But Bristow shook his head. "No, can- not" he said firmly. T will pull myself to- gether here. A tramp along the river front in the keen air will fix me up all right, fancy and good sleep tonight will do the rest. Let US go out and walk it off to. gether."
 Colonel Bainbridge declined. "I have several clients to see this afternoon" he said. "Run along and fill your lungs with ozone. When you return we will go more fully into this new and mysterious phase ot oar problem"
 Bristow donned overcoat and gloves and went down on to the street. He turned to. ward the. river front, walking briskly until he reached the high levee that guarded Laurens from being flooded each year by the encroaching waters of the Ohio.
 At the top of the dike he found Marshal Metcaf gazing out across the river toward the Kentucky highlands mile away They were heavily snowclad and crowned by . mantle of mist. The stream was filled from shore to shore with massive cakes of floating ice. But there was suggestion of moisture in the air that presaged a sud- den thaw.
 Looks like flood weather" remarked the marshal, with sidelong, sympathetic glance at the young lawyers haggard, care. worn face.
 q hope not," replied Bristow perfume torily.
 "Me an you, too," continued Metcalf. '"The last time a real flood hit this town it smashed the levee to smithereens and ding. donged near washed everybody off the map"
 A sudden insidious thought that was al. most hope flashed across Bristow's mind. Should heavy rains set in, melt the ice with which the swollen stream was packed and the snow that gorged the hills and noun. tains all the way up to the headwaters in Pennsylvania, and the resultant flood sweep Laurens, it would serve to halt proceedings and give Nerissa Selden . longer respite from the machinery of the law. With | shudder he cast the idea from his mind. But it warned him how near his nerves were to the edge of things.
 "That flood was hummer" MeteaR proceeded with the love of reminiscence that belongs inherently to the native son. ''The worst of it was while court was in session. Judge Ryan had fellow on trial for killin' his wife. You'd have thought that with the court house, all the churches and every other dingdonged place in town