The Argosy — page 194: what you’re looking at

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

178 Anne Hereford. THebo ie 1e08” “This little girl; Anne Ursula Hereford. Mrs. Edwin Barley be- queathed to her the whole of her money, and her tnnkets, except the | trinkets that had been your own gift to her, Mr. Edwin Barley.” And he proceeded to detail the provisions of the short will. ‘‘In fact, she left to Miss Hereford everything she had to leave. It is most strange where the will can be.” | “It is more than strange,” observed Mr. Edwin Barley. ‘ Why did she wish to make it in secret ?” “T have told you, sir, that she did not say why.” “ But can’t you form an idea why ?” “Tt occurred to me that she thought you might not like her leaving all she had away from you and might have feared you would interfere.” “No,” he quietly said, “I should not have done that. Every wish that she confided to me should have been scrupulously carned out.” , ‘Qh, but come, you know! a big sheet of parchment, sealed and in- scribed, can’t vanish in this way,” exclaimed Mr. Barley of the Oaks. ‘Tt must be somewhere in the room.” It might be, but nobody could find it. Mr. Barley of the Oaks got quite excited and angry. He went to the door, calling out for Miss Delves. ‘Charlotte, come up here. Do you hear, Charlotte ?” She ran up quickly, evidently wondering. ‘Look here,” cried Mr. Barley, ‘“ Mrs. Edwin’s will can’t be found. It was left in this cabinet, my brother is told.” “Oh, then, Mrs. Edwin did make a will?” was the response of Charlotte Delves. “Yes; but it is gone,” repeated Mr. Barley of the Oaks. “It cannot be gone,” said Charlotte. “If the will was left in the cabinet, there it would be now.” The old story was gone over again; nothing more. The will had been made, and as certainly placed there. The servants were honest, not capable of meddling with that or anything else. But there was no sign or symptom of a will left. “It is very strange,” exclaimed Mr. Edwin Barley, looking furtively from the corner of his black eyes at most of us in succession, as if we vere in league against him or against the will “I will have the house ‘earched throughout.” butt was done that same evening. Himself, his brother, Mr. Gregg, and Charlotte Delves taking part in it. Entirely without success. And in my busy heart there was running a conviction all the while that Mr. Edwin Barley had himself made away with it. “Will you not act in accordance with its provisions, sir?” Mr. Gregg asked him as he was leaving. “TI do not think I shall,” said Mr. Edwin Barley. ‘ Produce the comicaooks GO)