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Show - III Short Story of M-Bay. Hp A MYSTERIOUS WILL. , was handed over to my fair client. Ths securities were given up at the same time without a suit. With a part of the interest which had been- accumulating- for so many years the old mansion man-sion at Oakdale was refitted and fur- nished. 1 Six months later there was a quiet wedding at my old friend Bowls', in which I took a prominent part. - I am getting on toward middle age. I love my profession better than ever, though my time is now necessarily divided, di-vided, aad a portion of it devoted to the farm at Oakdale. The old farmhouse is vocal with childish music, and a sunny-haired, soft-voiced little woman makes it the brightest spot on all the earth for your humble servant. (Continued from yesterday.) . My fears proved correct, however. We made a gallant struggle; but it was In vain. My speech, I was told after- , ward, was applauded privately by the Judge, though, in his official capacity he felt compelled to decide against me. : I remember that I spoke from a full heart, of the Justice of refusing to receive re-ceive a will which everybody knew to be that of Morgan, merely te cause one of the witnesses had died. "It is the law we are called upon to administer here." said the Jud-e from the bench, "not what you or I may think. Mr. Attorney, is equity. And you know as well as I do. for you are a good lawyer, that It takes two witnesses to prove a will." But the case was not without Its Benefit Ben-efit to me, professionally. My speech had made an impression on the public, and business now began to pour in. My fair client still remained with my friend Bowls. . "My eldest daughter has come to love her as a sister." he said. "Bessie, as you must have seen,' is unusually intelligent intel-ligent She bad received quite a good education, too. before old Mr. Morgan died. The cheerful manner in wnlojt she bore her subsequent poverty Is. as Mrs. Benham says, a proof of an unusually un-usually noble character. So, we have invented an excuse that we want a nursery nur-sery governess, for she is too proud to stay as a mere pensioner, and her aunt has consented to the arrangement, saying say-ing that it la a sin to bury Bessie among the hills." Almost every week I dropped In for an hour or so of an evening at the Bowles, and as I became better acquainted ac-quainted with Bessie. I more than indorsed in-dorsed ray old friend's encomiums. In short. I was as much charmed with her attractions of mind and manner as I had been at first by her sylvan gTace and beauty. Very soon I found myself in love, and when, some six months later. I told her, of It, I was overjoyed to hear her confess that my passion was returned. T was nnw th TiannlAfit man in the country. Out of my defeat had come the elemehts of success. By it I had won a reputation and a love oh, the purest, sweetest, the best! I pictured to myself a home, humble and poor, but so bright and cosy, the abode of content con-tent and happiness. One day ln the following summer I was In the clerk's office searching; some old records, when I came upon a page that almost took my breath away. After Af-ter reading it carefully I closed the book and returned to my office. The next day Simon Skaggs was served with a summons to answer a suit of ejectment, in the name of Elizabeth Morgan, for all the real property held by biro, which he claimed as heir-at-law of the late James Morgan; and great was the excitement in the village when It was known that this suit was begun.- "What could it mean?" asked everybody. every-body. I told no one. Even to Bessie I only represented that I thought I saw a chance to' recover; -but I was capful not to appear too sanguine. In two months the Circuit court came on. Again the court was crowded. The excitement was even greater than it had been before. I had prepared no brief. Not even a mmorandum or a book did I carry into court. "Morgan vs. Skaggs," called the clerk. "Who appears for the plaintiff?" asked the Judge. "I do, your Honor." I answered. "Who for the defendant T' "I do, your Honor." answered two of the oldest and most talented lawyers from Kent. ' "Are you ready for the plaintiff?", "We are." ' "Are you ready for the defendant? "We are. your Honor." ' "Let a Jury be sworn, then," said the Juds- . , The Jury was soon impaneled. The twelve men filed In and took their seats amid the most breathless silence. "Let the case proceed at once," said the Judge. "Call Mr. Bowls," said I. The Sheriff called him. He. came into the courtroom, took the witness stand, and was sworn. I The most intense silence now reigned. My fair client was seated by my side, pale and quiet. The defendant was seated near his counsel, calm, confident confi-dent and defiant. i "Examine the witness."! said the Judge. i "Mr. Bowls," I began, "are you acquainted ac-quainted with the plaintiff?" ,"I am." - 1 l"Do you know where she lived, front the time she was 3 years old, up to the time she was 18?" j "I do." ! ' 1 "Where?" 1 ; "With thp late James Morgan." "Are you certain that this plaintiff is the same person?" j "I am." "That's all I wish to ask," said I to the court. "Cross-examine, gentlemen," said the Jodpe. "We don't wish to ask anything." said the opposing counsel. ' "Let the witness stand aside," said the court. "Call your next." "May it please your Honor, we have no other witnesses that we wish sworn at present," said I, rising to my feet and looking around the room. A murmur of disappointment ran through the crowd. "Then do you rest your case here?" said the Judge, with a smjle. "No, your Honor, we have some record rec-ord evidence that we wish to Introduce." Intro-duce." And. as I spoke, I drew it from my pocket. "It Is an authenticated copy from the records of the county for the year 18. It proves that ; this young lady was duly and legally adopted as the daughter of the deceased, and, as such. Is entitled, under our law. to this property, as his nearest and only heir-at-law. Shall I read It to the Jury?" "Read It." said the Judge. But Skaggs' lawyers rose to their feet, with a storm of objections. For a full hour they argued, with all the force of their ability, bringing to bear their vast legal knowledge and experience. But they were finally overruled by the court, who directed me to proceed. The record was conclusive. After reading It I announced that I would close the case for the plaintiff. The defendant de-fendant was so ccmrlly taken by storm that he did not Introduce a single witness. The charge of the court was lucid and comprehensive. In thirty minutes the jury returned a verdict for the plaintiff. The result was received with loud acclamations ac-clamations by the excited audience; Skaggs took the case to the Supreme court, but only for the purpose of gaining gain-ing time. The Judgment below was affirmed. af-firmed. Three months later the real estate 1 |