Year: 1873

for mo to know what is in that will"


The speaker was bright, handsome
girl of seventeen--Rena Crocker--the
granddaughter of rich old Steven Crock.
or, whose death a day or two before had
brought sorrow to few hearts. Two
grandchildren-Horace Warton and Re-
na-were his only relatives, and consti-
tuted his family. Horace was as mean
of act and disposition as tho old man
himself. Rena was a beauty, and an
amable girl when sheaAhose. Young as
she was, Rena was worldly minded
coquette to the very eoro already. She
had resolved to get we'll married-that is
to say, to some person of wealth and sta
tion-both together ifpossible, but the
former preferbly, and then to enjoy her.
self at the utmost swing of fashionable
dissipation and luxury for the remainder
of her existence.


81 don't see how it would be any
harm," continued Rena, "as l wouldn't
do anything but read it, and there is no
knowing how it might be tampered with
by that raseally cousin of mine before il
is read next Saturday. / imagine grand
father left the bulk of his property to me,
but there's no telling what notion the old
fool may have got into his head"


Rena was alone in her chamber. To
think was to act with her. She knew
that a will drawn up and signed by the
old man year before his death was in
the desk in the old dingy library. She
had often seen it and wondered what
were the contents so closely sealed from
her eyes. 1t was dusk, and as she stole
along through their dreary hall she hall
relented, and finally paused on tho very
threshold OF the room she was seeking
Then chiding herself for her weakness
she stole in, got tho key of her grand
fathers desk, and opened the drawer
There lay the will, sealed as she had Oft
en- seen it.


"But am no better Off than BEFORE"
she muttered. ~ can't open it,"


1t was useless to peep into its folds
only detached words could be seen. But
Rena was not inclined to be baflled in her
curiosity. And she was as fertile in re-
sources us the wiliest of her sex. Light
ing gas jet, she warmed the large wax
seal. Then, with the blade of a pocket
knife, she carefully losened it. 1t was
done. The document lay before her.
Her eyes rapidly devoured its contents,
and her cheeks paled with anger.


1.-THE miserable old dotard?" she cried.


The cause of her displeasure was the
unpleasant and surprising fact that her
grandfather had not left her n solitary
cent. Every particle of his ample for
tune went to Horace Warton. Her first
motive was to destroy the will but sec
ond thought detained her. She feared
the consequences of such an act. Again
slightly heating the seal, she reaffixed II
in its place, replaced the will in the draw
or and went back to her room.


After the first gust Of rage had sub
sided she sat down to quietly think tho
matter over. There seemed but one way
to retain any portion Of the property, and
that was by marrying her cousin Horace.
She hated him heartily, but her vanity
had always told her that he admired her.
She knew her beauty, and over-estlmated
its effect upon her staid cousin.


But five days remain before the open
ing of the WILL" she mused before that
time l must lure Horace into an offer of
marriage"


About the time that Rena was gaining
her surreptitious knowledge of the will,
her rich cousin Horace was seeking after
precisely the same Information. Betak-
ing himself to the Office OF Harman Nes
bit, the lawyer who had been intrusted
with the legal business of his granfather,
he found that gentleman alone. lie
knew something of the lawyers charac-
ter, and at once proceeded TO business.


You drew up my grandfather's will,
did you not?" he asked.


"Yes.n


"How long ago?"


"About six months. He had prepared
one a year ago, but this makes an on
tirely different disposition of the prop
erty."


"And what is that disposition2"


the lawyer smiled.


81 have no right TO tell you," he said.


But you would toll me if sufficient
reasons we're advanced?"


"If the reasons were sufficiently con-
vincng, yes"


Would two hundred dollars convince
your"


"No."


"Five hundrcd?"


Yes.n


Horace counted out the sum from his
pocket-book, which he had filled exactly
for this contingency, and the lawyer took
carefully counted it and transferred it
TO his own pocket.


"Now," he said, "you may prepare
yourself for the worst possible news. You
are by this will cut off from every dollar
OF your grandfather's estate"


You are certain Of this?"


"Of course / am. l drew the will and
saw it signed. The previous will left all
to you, but your grandfather was whim-
sical. There came change in his feel
ings, caused by some real or fancied mis-
conduct of yours, and so he left all to
your cousin Rena."


| uoraca was angry. He cursed his dead