The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1937-08-11

believe it."
Believe it or not" Gerald
: shrugged. ITS all one to me. The
will was changed over a month
ago. Selma wanted love in a cot
tage we'll. that's what she'll have,
to the end of the chapter-the cot
tage part, anyway"
Peter clenched his hands. He
mustn't let himself go. Gerald
was batting him as he always had.
1t couldn't be true.
| A nurse came through the heavy
portiereS.
"Oh, Mr.. Nason!" She smiled
at Gerald. Stevens just told me
you were here. Miss Nason's out
in the conservatory. She insisted
on being wheeled down to have
her nap in the sun, there. I'll see
if she's awake" She hurried past
them.
Gerald gave his characteristic
shrug. Il never appreciated the
old girls deafness before! 1t has
its points,"
The nurse reappeared before
Peter could answer.
Shell see you BOTH" she said.
VERY WEAK
you must only stay few min
utes; she's very weak today"
Peter never did have a clear
picture of that nightmare few
minutes" Through the shock of
seeing how his aunt had failed,
his mind grappled with torturing
doubt. Had Gerald been only bait
ing him?
His aunt hardly seemed to hear
Peters shouted accounts of Selma
and the children. Her dim old
eyes, enigmatic as the Sphinx,
focused on him though from a
great distance. Only once did
that remote expression change. A
half smile flickered across his lips,
when Gerald bent close, and told
her in a playfully stentorian voice
how becoming her new lace cap
was.
A desperate impulse rose in
Peter to ask her if what Gerald
had said was true; to appeal to
her fairness to understand the
strain he had been under, that
had kept him with his nose to
the grindStone.
The words choked in his throat.
Not even for Selma's sake could
he ask a dying old woman how
she was going to leave her money!
And then, the few minutes"
was over. Peter was conscious Of
wave of real emotion as he kissed
the withered cheek. He followed
the nurse and Gerald out. With
out word to his cousin, he passed
through the massive door, and
down the brownstone steps.
WILL is READ
1t was two weeks later when
the family gathered to hear the
last will and testament of Lydia
Mason. The Somber drawing room
seemed more of mauSoleum
than ever, as Aunt Lydia's lawyer
droned through the requests to
a few distant cousins, and to the
servants.
Peters fingers closed over the
hand Selma slipped in his. Though
she had pretended not to believe
it, when he had told her about
Gerald, he knew she did believe
it-just as he did. The question
was, had Aunt Lydia cut him off
entirely?
ITO my nephew, Gerald Mason"
Peters hand gripped Selma's still
more tightly, Il bequeath the sum
of one thousand dollars. and the
enclosed package. The residue of
my estate, I bequeath to my
nephew, Peter Mason"
The walls, weighed with their
heavy gold-framed pictures, reeled
crafty before Peters eyes, settled
into place again. He saw Gerald
tear the paper from a parcel the
lawyer handed him; heard a
metallic crash. as something
dropped to the floor. Gerald
stared at a card in his shaking
hand.
Dear Gerald" For the life of
him, Peter couldn't help reading
over his cousins shoulder, Aunt
Lydia's familiar, cramped hand
writing. You may find the en-
closed a handy little instrument
if you ever become deaf. 1t is a
remarkable device for making one
hear. I have been using it for
over a year now and find it very
good. 1t helped a great deal in
the conservatory the day you and
peter came In see me"