The Argosy — page 108: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

96 Edina. “The will, as I am informed, has been lying for some time in the hands of Callard and Prestleigh.” “ Then why did Callard and Prestleigh not produce it at the proper time?” reiterated Frank. “ Callard and Prestleigh may themselves be able to inform you,” was the short, stiff answer. Apparently no satisfaction could be extracted from Mr. Edwin Street ; and Frank betook himself to Callard and Prestleigh, who lived near the Temple. ‘From -pillar to post, from post to pillar,” thought he. “I ought to come at something presently.” Mr. Callard was a white-haired old gentleman; a little reserved in manner also; but nevertheless sufficiently cordial with Frank, and did not object to give him information. He took him for the son of Major Raynor; and though Frank twice set him right upon the point, the old man went back to his own impression, and persisted in thinking Frank to be the (late) heir to Eagles’ Nest. It was a mistake of no consequence. The reader may remember that when Mrs. Atkinson expressed her intention of making a fresh will in Mr. George Atkinson's favour and leaving Major Raynor's name out of it, she had summoned Street the lawyer to Eagles’ Nest to draw it up. Street (as he subsequently informed the Major) had represented the injustice of this to Mrs. Atkinson, and prevailed upon her (as he supposed) to renounce her intention, and to let the old will stand. He went back to London in this belief, and nothing whatever occurred, then or subsequently, to shake it. However, after his departure from Eagles’ Nest, it appeared " that Mrs. Atkinson had sent for a local solicitor, and caused him to draw up a fresh will, in which she made George Atkinson her heir, and cut off the Major. This will she had kept by her until just before her death, when she sent it, sealed up, to Callard and Prestleigh, request- ing them to put it amid Mr. George Atkinson’s papers, and hold it at his disposal. There could be no doubt that she also, either at this same time or close upon her death, wrote to George Atkinson and informed him of what she had done: namely, made her will in his favour and placed the will with his solicitors. “ But, sir,” exclaimed Frank to Mr. Callard, when he had listened to this explanation, “ how was it that you did not bring the will forward at Mrs. Atkinson’s death? Why did you suffer the other will to be proved and acted on, when you knew you held this one?” “But we did not know it,” replied the old man: “you have misun- derstood me, my young friend. When Mrs. Atkinson sent the docu- ment to us she did not inform us what it was. I assure you we never suspected it was a will. It was sealed up in a parchment envelope, and there was no guide to indicate what the contents might be. ” 6* Then—how do you know it now?” comicbooks.com