The Argosy — page 260: what you’re looking at

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

Lady Postlethwaite’s Will. 241 must make sure that others don’t suffer for my madness. I want to go over that will again, Mr. Philip. It'll stand good, you know, Poor Josiah took care of that.” I gave it to her and she turned it over and over, examining it keenly. Then she opened it. “Tord save us!” she cried. ‘Look here!” The contents lay in her lap. So many blank sheets of foolscap, nothing else. ‘‘ She looked from them to us once or twice. ‘Then she sat bolt upright, her eyes began to shine and the trembling of her hands ceased. My desk, Letty, quick.” She folded the sheets together and slowly and consideringly wrote a few lines on the outerone. ‘‘ Now, Mr. Philip, can you and Letty make that envelope look as if it had never been opened ?” We managed to do so by the aid of a tresh ribbon and by carefully spreading the wax of the new seal over the place where the old one had been broken open. “Now Mr. Philip, I shall want you at once to draw me a fresh will exactly like the old one. How soon can you do it?” ‘‘T have a duplicate here now, Lady Postlethwaite. You have only to sign it. But the codicil, what about that? And Colonel St. George—you must consider him.” ‘‘T have considered him. He will find a remembrance there,” she nodded towards the sealed packet. ‘‘ As much as I dare do for him now.” We were interrupted by the announcement of the doctor’s arrival. I was glad, for I fancied I saw signs of feverish exhaustion in the poor old woman. I was glad, too, to hear the name of a man high in his profession. I knew it well by reputation. Letty and I withdrew to the cheerless dining-room, where I re- placed the packet in the bookcase, and then stood beside her over the fireless, ashy grate, talking sorrowfully of the gentle, useful life so. woefully cut short. Do you think her very ill?” she asked. “JT am afraid so. Can you guess what ails her?” ‘T think her heart is broken!” Letty said with a sob. ‘“ He didn’t ill-use her, as you mean by ill-usage, but she loved him and believed in him—and now she knows him as he is.—Oh, it’s cruel, ervel |” We were again summoned to Lady Postlethwaite. Letty trembled sO as we approached the door that I caught her hand half-uncon- sciously to reassure her, and it was on our joined hands that the old lady’s sharp eyes glanced as we entered. She cast arapid, interrogat- ing look on my face. I felt Letty start and the little fingers thrill warm to their tips. I deliberately stooped and raised them to my lips, while Lady Postlethwaite’s face lighted up with amusement, com- prehension and satisfaction all in a flash. The doctor standing near her had lost the by-play. CORnNICOOOKS EO im