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pnsPSBWipsW'W "P51 WPl" jew'"""" as poor as a church mouse, and mar riage would have been out of the question but for the money. "You must take it, Tom," insisted the girl. "Take it as a loan, if you like, to help you in your profession. You will have clients galore in a few years. Don't make us both unhappy by refusing, Tom." Before Tom Claflin had decided Jim Maine produced a will written by the old woman a month before she died, and signed by witnesses. It left all Miss Martha's money to him, stating that, on account of her ingratitude, Annie was to get only the cottage. That was worth two or three thou sand but it was only a small share in the comfortable estate. Tom came to Annie. "That will is a forgery, my dear," he said. "Those witnesses are men who owe Maine money. They are in his power, and are of disreputable character. We ' shall fight it tooth and nail." Annie protested. She did not want to fight about the money, she said. Maine was welcome to It. And she hated scandal. Besides that, she knew her aunt had borne her no love. But Tom persuaded her. He knew that the girl's life had been an un happy one, though she had never told him so. He knew that the will was forged. And he meant to send Maine to prison. The case came up before the surro gate's court. Maine had defied and threatened Tom, but the- young law yer saw that the man was in a frenzy of fear. Still, he could not keep his fingers off the nine thousand dollars. And his witnesses were staunch to him. On the day before the trial the young lawyer received a visit from a fellow lawyer in the next town. "I heard about your case, Claflin," he said. "I think this puts a new light on the transaction, doesn't .it?" And he threw a document upon the table. Tom picked it up. It was an other will of Miss Martha's. "She, made that about a month 1 -.J -J.. - JJE t sH 4- ago", said the visitor. "Came over to Stapleton to do it, I guessL so that nobody in this town should knoifc. Of course, it antedates the will you are fighting over, but " Claflin sat long in thought that evening. "Tom, won't you withdraw at them last moment?" pleaded Annie in court T the next morning. "Dear, we havera the cottage and, after all, that will may be genuine." ji'' Tom said nothing but clasped her1 hand in his. And Annie resigned her- self to her lover's will in the matter. When the case was called, however, he amazed the court and spectators by saying: "We do not accept this will as gen- . uine, Your Honor, but, in deference to the wishes of my client we are willing to accept the sworn state ment of Mr. Maine and hisgitnSs to the effect that the .willisijenuine' and to withdraw' And the will was admitted to pro bate. Maine was flushed with triumph. He was not the man to let well enough alone. The revulsioh from his fears of prison proved too strong t o'r his gdod sense. He came up to Tom, m the court room, after the court had adjourned. Vs "Wall," he sneered, "I guess you did the wise thing in withdrawing, young man. You'd haye lost your case, and I'd have had yoU driven out of town, too. It takes a big man to cross my will." . "I hope you'll enjoy your property," said Tom. "But why didn't you take , the cottage, too, while you were about it? You threw away two or three thousand dollars there. And you might just as well have had it ifd you had had the" nerve. 6 "What do you mean?" bellowed. Maine truculently. "I mean," said Tom, thrusting his-7 face forward and looking the other squarily in the eye, "that if you1!) hadn't been a thief and a rogue your would Tiave got everything. Here W" m -, i&k- O t Lfc '--' -.Afe..