Evening Republican, Volume 18, Number 111, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 11 May 1914 — WHERE THERE'S A WILL [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

WHERE THERE'S A WILL

MARY ROBERTS RINEHART

OF - " CIRCULAR, 3TAJR.CA3E?, 73/Z& SLOWER TEN, WHEN AMAW ILLUSTRATED EDGAR BERT SMITH * COPy&fGHr <3*3 AP £m^Li_CO.

SYNOPSIS. Minnie. spring-house girl at Hope sanatorium, tells the story. It opens with the arrival of Miss Patty Jennings, who is reported to be engaged to many a prince, and the death or the old doctor who owns the sanatorium. The estate is left to a scapegrace grandson. Dicky Carter, who must appear on a certain date and run the sanatorium successfully for two mopthi or forfeit the Inheritance. A case of mumps delays Dick's arrival. Mr. Thoburn Is hovering about in hopes of securing the place fOr a summer hotel. Pierce, a college man in hard luck, Is prevailed upon by Van Alatyne, Dick’s broth-er-in-law, to Impersonate the missing heir and take charge of the sanatorium until Carter arrives. Dick, who hap eloped with Patty's younger sister, Dorothy, arrives, and the couple go Into hiding in the old shelter house. Fearing to face Dorothy's father, who Is at the sanatorium, Dick arranges with Pierce to continue in the management of the property. Julia Bummers, leading lady of Pierce's stranded theatrical company, arrives. She is suing Dicky for breach of promise. CHAPTER Viv— Continued. "I’m ao glad you’re still here, Minnie 1” the exclaimed, breathing fast "You haven’t taken the dinner out to she shelter-house yet, have you 7" "Not yet,” I replied. “Time hasn’t brought the basket.” But I guess her eister and Mr. Dick could have starved to death Just then without her noticing. She was all excitement, for all she's mostly so cool. "I have a note here from my sister,” she said, getting It odt of her pocket. "I know we all Impose on you, Minnie, but-—will you take It for me? I’d go, but I'm In'slippers, and, anyhow, I’d need a lantern, and that would be reckless, wouldn’t it?” "In slippers 1” Mr. Pierce Interrupt ed. "It’s only five degrees above zero! Of all the foolhardy—l” M}ss Patty did not seem to hear him- She gave the letter to me and followed me out on the step. “You’re a saint, Minnie,” she said, leaning over and squeezing my am, "and because you’re going back and forth In the cold so much, I want you to have this —to keep.” She stopped and picked up frqm the snow beside the steps something soft and furry and threw it around my neck, and the next instant I knew she was giving me her chinchilla set, muff and all. I was so pleased I cried, and all the way over to the shelter-house I sniveled and danced with joy at the same time. There’s nothing like chinchilla to tone down red hair. - Well, I took the note out to the shelter-house, and rapped. Mr. Dick let me in, and it struck me he wasn’t as cheerful as usual. He reached out and took the muff. "Oh," he said, "I thought that was the supper.” "It’s coming,” I said, looking past him for Mrs. Dicky. , She had seen the note and sat up and held out her hand for it "Dick!” she said suddenly, "what do you think? Oskar la here! Pat’s In the wildest excitement He’s in town, and Aunt Honorla has telephoned to know what to do! Listen; he Is incog, of course, and registered as Oskar von Inwald. He did an awfully clever thing—came In through Canada while the papers thought he was in St. Moritz.” "For heaven’s sake,” replied Mr. Dick, "tell her not to ask him here. I shouldn’t know how to talk to him. Oh, I’ve known a lord or two, but that’* different. You call them anything you like and lend them money.” "I dare say you can with Oskar, too.” Mrs. Dicky put the note down and sighed. “Well, he’s coming. Pat eays dad won’t go back ta town until he’s had 21 baths, and he's only had eleven and she’s got to stay with him. And you needn’t worry about what to call Oskar. He’s not to know we’re here." I was worried on my way back to the sprlnghouse—not that the prince would make much difference, ae far as I could see things being about as bad as they could be. But eome of the people were talking of leaving, and since we had to have a prince it seemed a pity he wasn’t coming with all hia retinue and titles. It would have been a good ten thousand dollars’ worth of advertising for the place, and goodness knows we needed it. Whsn I got back to the sprlnghouse Miss Patty and Mr. Pleroe were still there. “Of course it Isn’t my affair,” he was saying. "You are perfectly—” Them I opened the door and he stopped. I went on Into the pantry to take off my overshoes, and aa I eloaed the door he continued. “I didn't mean to say what I have. I meant to explain about the other night—l had a right to do that But you forced the issue.” "I waa compelled to tell you he was coming.” she said angrily. "I felt I should.” „ “What would you have had me do?” she asked. “Take those two children to your father. What if there was a row? Why should there be such a lot made of it, anyhow? They're young; but itheyll gat older. It isn't a crime for two people to—er—love each other, is ftr And if you think a scandal or two In yottr family—granting your tether would make a scandal—is going to put smother patch on the ragged reputation of the royal family of—” “How dare yog!!" aha cried furiously. “How dan you I" I honrd hag stoss the room and fling

the door open and a second later It slammed. When I came out of the pantry Mr. Pierce was sitting in his old elbow on knee, holding hie pipe and staring at the howl. I had my hands full the next day. We’d had another snowstorm during the night and the trains were blocked again. About ten o'clock we got a telegram from the new doctor we'd been expecting, that he’d fallen on the ice on his way to the train and broken his arm, and at eleven a delegation from the guests walled on Mr. Pierce and told him they’d have to have a house physician at once. "We’re doing the best we can,” Mr. Pierce explained. "We —we expect a doctor today.” "When?” from Mr. Jennings, who had come on a cane and was watching Mr. Pierce like a hawk. “Thie afternoon, probably. As there is no one here very 111 —” But at that they almost fell on him and tore him to pieces. I had to step in front of him myself and say we’d have somebody there by two o'clock If we had to rob a hospital to get him. Well, as if I didn’t have my hands full with getting meals to the shelterhouse, and trying to find a house doctor, and wondering how long it would be before "Julia" came face to face with Dick. Carter somewhere or other, and trying to keep one eye on Thoburn while I kept Mr. Pierce straight with the other—that day, during luncheon, Mike the bath man came out to the sprlnghouse and made a hpwl about his wages. He’d been looking surly for two days. “What about your wages?" I snapped. “Aren’t you getting what you've always had?" “No tips!” he said sulkily. "Only a fewtaking baths —only one dally, and that’s that man Jennings. There's no use talking, Miss Minnie, I’ve got to have a double percentage on that man v or you’ll have to muzzle him. He—he’s dangerous.” "If I give you the double percentage, will you stay?” "I don’t know but that I’d rather have the muzzle, Miss Minnie," he answered slowly, "but—l’ll stay. It won’t be for long." Which left me thinking. I’d teen Thoburn talking to Mike more than once lately, and he’d been going around with an air of assurance that didn’t make me any too cheerful. At four o’clock Mr. Sam came In, and he had Mr. Thoburn tight by the arm. “My dear old chap,” he waß saying, "It would be as much ae your life’s worth. That ground js full pf holes and just now covered with snow—!” He caught my eye, And wiped hie forehead. “Heaven help us!” he said, coming over to the spring, "I found him making for the shelter-house, armed with a foot rule! Somebody's got to take him in band —I tell you, the man’s a menace!” "What about the doctor?” I asked, reaching up his glass. “Be here tonight,” he answered, "on the—’’ But at that minute a boy brought a telegram down and handed' it to him. The new doctor was laid up with influenza! We eat there after the others had gone, and Mr. Sam said he was for giving up the fight, only to come out now with the truth would mean such a lot of explaining and a good many people would likely find It funny. Mr. Pierce came in later and we gave him the telegram to read. He glanced at it and handed It back. “Lot’s of starving M. D.’s would jump at the chance," he said, "but if

It’* a* urgent as all tbla we can't wait to hunt I'll tell you, Van Alstyne, there’s a chap down In the Tillage—he was the character man with the Sweet Pea* company—and he’s stranded there. I.saw him this morning. He’* washing dishes In the depot restaurant (or his meals. We used to call him Doc, and I’ve a hazy Idea that he’s a graduate M. D.—name’s Barn**.” “Great!" cried Tan Alstyne. "Let’# hare Barnes. Ton get him. will you. Piercer*

Mr. Pierce promised and they start-1 ed out together. At the door Mr. Sam tinned. — “Oh, by tiie way, Minnie," he called “better gild one of your chairs and put a red cushion on it. The prince has arrived." Well, I thought It all out that afternoon as I washed the glasses, and it was terrible. I had two people in the shelter-house to feed and look after like babies, with Tillle getting more curious every day about the, basket she brought, and not to be held much longer; and I had a man running the sanatorium and running it to the devil as fast as it could go. Then I had a prince incognito, and Thobufn stirring up mischief, and the servants threatening to strike, and no house doctor— Just as I got to that somebody opened the door behind me and looked in. I glanced around, and It was a man with the reddest hair I ever saw. Mine was pale by comparison. He was rather short and heavy-set, and he had a pleasant face, although not handsome, his nose being slightly befit to the left But at first all I could aee was his hair. 'fGood evening,” he said, edging himself In. "Are you Mlbs Waters?” "Yes,” I said, rising and getting a glass ready. He took off his hat and came over to the spring where I was filling his glass. "If that’s for me, you needn’t bother,” he eaid. "If, It tastes as it smells, I’m not thirsty. My name’s Barnes, and I waa to wait here for Mr. Van Alstyne." "Barnes!" I repeated. "Then you’re the doctor." He grinned, and stood turning his bat around in his hands. "Not exactly," he said. "I graduated in medicine a good many years ago, but after a year of it I took to other things." "Oh, yes,” I said. "You’re ah actor now." He looked thoughtful. "Some people think I’m not,” he answered, "but I’m on the stage." I put a fresh log on the fire, and as it blazed up I saw him looking at me. “Ye gods and little fishes!” he said. "Another redhead! Why, we’re as alike as two carrots off the same bnnch!" was, and where he was raised, and that what he wanted more than anything on earth was a little farmhouse with chickens and a cow. Then he wanted to know what he was to do at the sanatorium and I told him as well as I oould. I didn’t tell him everything, but I explained why Mr. Pierce was calling himself Carter, and About the two in the shelter-house. I had to. He knew as well as I did that three days before Mr. Pierce had had nothing to his name but a folding automobile road map or whatever It was. "Good for old Pierce!” he said when I finished. "He’s a prince/ Miss Waters. If you’d seen him sending those* girls back to town—well, I’ll do all I can to help him.” Mr. and Mrs. Van Alstyne came in juet then, and Mr. Sam told him what he waa expected to do. It wasn’t much. “Remember," Mr. Sam instructed him, as Doctor Barnes started out, "when you don’t know what to prescribe,, order a Turkish bath. The baths are to a sanatorium wbat the bar is to a club—they pay the bills.'’ Well, we got It all fixed and Doctor Barnes started out, but at the door he stopped. “I say,” he asked In an undertone, "the stork doesn’t light around here, does he?” "Not If they see him first!” I replied grimly, and he went out

CHAPTER VII.

It waa all well enough for me to say —as I had to to Tillle many a time—that it was ridiculous to make a fuss over a person for what, after all, was an accident of birth. Nevertheless, at five o'clock, after every one had gone, when I saw Miss Patty, muffled In furs, tripping out through the snow, with a tall thin man beside her, walking very straight and taking one step to her four, I felt aa though somebody had Mt me at the end of my breastbone. They came In together, laughing and talking, and, to be honest, if I hadn’t caught, the back of a chair, I’d have had one foot back of the other and been making a courtesy in aplte of myself. “We’re late, Minnie;" Miss Patty said. “Oskar, this is one of my beet friends, and you are to be very nice to her." He had one of those single glass things in his eye and be gave me a good stare through It Seen close he waa handsomer than Mr. Pierce, but hb looked older than hla picture. "Ask her If she won’t be nice to me," he said in as good English as mine; and held out hla hand. "Any of Miss Patty's friends—” I began, with a lump in my throat, and gave hla baud a good squeese. They went very soon after that I •food and watched them ”"*** thej die

1 appeared in the snow, and I felt lonelier than ever, and sad. although certainly he was better then I had expected to find him. He was a man, and not a little cub with a body hardly big enough to carry his forefathers’ weaknesses. But he had a cold eye and a warm mouth, and that sort of man is generally a social success and a matrimonial failure, I had hardly closed the door after them when it opened again and Mr. Pierce came in. He shut the door and, going over to one of the tables, put a package down on it. "Here's the stuff you wanted for the spring, Minnie,” he announced. "I suppose I can’t do anything more than register a protest against it?” "You needn’t bother doing that," I answered, "unless it makes you feel better. Your authority ends at that door. Inside the sprlnghouse I’m in control." (It’s hard to believe, with things as they are, that I once really believed that. But I did. It was three full days later thpt I learned that I’d been mistaken!) Well, he sat there and looked at nothing while I heated water In my brass kettle over the fire and dissolved the things against Thoburn’s quick eye the next day, and he didn’t say anything. He had a gift for keeping quiet, Mr. Pierce had. It got on my nerves after a while. "Things are doing better," I remarked, stirring up my mixture. “Yes,” he said, without moving. "Miss—Miss Jennlnge and the —von Inwald were here just now, weren’t they? I passed them on the bridge.” “Yes.” “What—how do you like him?” "Better than I expected and not so well as I might,” I said. Mrs. Hutchins came out to the sprlnghouse the next morning. She was dressed in a black silk with real lace collar and cuffe, and she was so puffed up with pride that she forgot to be nasty to me. "I thought I’d better come to you, Minnie," Bhe said. “Mr. Carter haa put the —has put Mr. von Inwald in the north wing. I cannot Imagine why he should have given him the coldest and most disagreeable part of the house.” I said I’d speak to Mr. Carter and try to have him moved, and she went away, but I made up my mind to talk to Mr. Pierce. The sanatorium business Isn’t one where you can put your own likes and dislikes against the comfort of the guests. I was sick enough of hearing of Mr. von Inwald before the day was over. All morning In the sprlnghouse they talked Mr. von Inwald. They pretended to play cards, but they were really playing European royalty. Every time somebody laid down a queen, he’d aay, “Is the queen still living, or didn’t she die a few years ago?” And when they played the knave, they’d start off about the prince again. In the afternoon Mr. von Inwald came out to the sprlnghouse and sat around, very affable and friendly, drinking the water. He and the bishop grew quite chummy. Mies Patty waa not there, but about four o’clock Mr. Pierce came out He did not alt down, but wandered around the room, not talking to anybody, but staring, whenever he could, at the prince. Once I caught Mr. von Inwald’s eyes fixed on him, as if he might have seen him before. Senator Biggs Was the one who really caused the trouble. “What do you think of American women, Mr. von In wald?” he asked, and everybody stopped playing cards and listened for the answer. As Mr. von Inwald represented the prince, wouldn’t he be likely to voice the prince’s opinion of American women? It's my belief Mr. von Inwald was going to say something nice. He smiled as if he meant to, but juet then he saw Mr. Pierce in hla corner sneering behind his pipe. They looked at each other steadily, and nobody could mistake the hate In Mr. Pierce’s face or <bis sneer. After a minute the prince looked away and shrugged hia shoulders, but he didn't make his pretty speech. "American women!" he said, turning hia glass of spring water around on the table before him, "they are very lovely, of coarse. But they are spoiled, fearfully spoiled. They rule their parents and they expect to rule their husbands. In Europe we do things better; we are not—what is the English? —hag-ridden?” There was a sort of murmur among the men, but the women all nodded as If they thought Europe was entirely right. They’d have agreed with him If he’d advocated sixteen wives sitting cross-legged on a mat, like the Tusks. Mr. Pierce was still staring at the prince. "What I don’t quite understand, Mr. von Inwald,” the biabop put In in hla nloe way, "la your custom of expecting a girl to bring her husband a certain definite asm of money and to place it under the husband’s control. Our tyllfcr Amertoan girls control their own money." He waa thinking of Miss Hatty, and everybody knew It The prince turned rad and gland at

the bishop. Then I think he remembered that they didn’t know who he was. and he amiled and started to turning the glass again. "Pardon!" he said. "Is it not better? What do women know of money? They throw it away on trifles, dress, jewels —American women are extravagant. It is one result of their—of their spoiling." —| —l—. . Mr. Pierce got up and emptied his pipe into the fire. Then he turned. “I’m afraid you have not known the best type of American women," he said, looking hard at the prince. "Our representative women si's our middleclass women. They do not contract European alliances, not having sufficient money to attract the attention of the nobility, or enough to buy titles, as they do pearls, for the purpose of adornment.” Mr. von Inwald got dp, and his face was red. Mr. Pierce was white and sneering. "Also," he went on, "when they marry they wish to control their own money, and not see It spent in—ways with which you are doubtless familiar." We were all paralyzed. Npbody moved. Mr. Pierce put his pipe In his pocket and stalked out, slamming the door. Then Mr. von Inwald shrugged his shoulders and laughed. “I see I shall have to talk to our young friend,” he said and picked up his .glass. "I’m afraid I’ve given a wrong impression. I like the American women very much; too well,” he went on with a flash of hla teeth, looking around the room, and brought the glass to the spring for me to AIL But I can tell a good bit about a man from the way he gives me hia glass, and he was in a perfect frenzy of rage. When I reached it back to him he gripped it until his nails were white. TUlie brought-the supper basket for the shelter-house about six o’clock and sat down for a minute by the fire. She said Mr. Pierce (Carter to had started out with a gun about five o’clock. It was foolish, but it made I me uneasy. She got up, leaving the basket on the hearth. Juet then I heard a shot from the direction of the deer park, even TlUle noticed how pale I got "I don’t know what’s come over you, Minnie,” she said. "That's only Mr. Carter shooting rabbits. I sag him go out as I started 1 down the path.” I was still nervous when I put on jut shawl and picked up the basket. But there was a puddle on the floor and the soup had spilled. There was nothing for It but to go back for more soup, and I got it from the kitchen without the chef seeing me. When I opened thq sprlnghouse door again Mr. Pierce was by the fire, and In front of him, where I left the basket, lay a dead rabbit There waa no basket In sight "Well,” I asked, "did you change my basket Into a dead rabbit?" “Basket!" he said, looking up. "What basket?" I looked everywhere, but the basket was gone, and after a while I decided that Mr. Dick had had an attack of thoughtfulness (or hunger) and had carried It out himself. And all the time I looked for the basket Mr. Pierce sat with the gun across his knees and stared at the rabbit "I'd thank you to take that messy thing out of here," I told him. "Poor little chap!" he exclaimed. "He was playing in the snow, and I killed him—not because I wanted food or sport, Minnie, but—well, because I had to kill something." "I hope you don’t have those attacks often,” I said. He looked at the rabbit and sighed. “Never In my life!” he answered. "Por food or sport that’s different but

—blood-lust!" He got up and put the gun In the corner, and I saw he looked white and miserable. I didn’t Uke to scold Mm when he warn feeling bad anyhow, but business la businesa So I asked Mm how long he thought people would stay It he acted aa he had that day. I told him, too, to remember that he waan’t responsible for the morals or actions of his guests, only tor their health. "Health!" he echoed, and kicked a chair. “Health! Why, 12 1 wanted to

keep u good dog in condition, Minnie, I wouldn’t bring him here.” "No,” I retorted, "you’d shut Mm hi an old out oven, and give him a shoe to chew, and he’d come out lu three days frisking and happy. But you can't do that with people. “Aa ter as Mr. von Inwald goes," I went on, "that’s not your affair or mine. If MIM Patty’s own tether can’t prevent It, Why should you worry about itr "Precisely,” no abased. "Why should I? But I do, Minnie—tiuute the devil of ft“ He said good night and went eat, taking the gun and the rabbit with him, and I went Into the pantry to finish straightening things lor the night! In a few minutes I beard voices fin the other room, one Mr. Pierce's, and one with a strong German accent. "When waa that?" Mr. von Inwald'u voice. "A year ago, in Vienna,” “Where r "At this Bal Tabarin. You were la a logs. The man I waa with told me who the woman wae. It waa she, 1 think, who suggested that you lean over the rail—" "Ah, ao!” said Mr. von Inwald as if he Just remembersd. "Ah, yes, I recall —I was with—the lady was red-bafired, is It not? And it was she who desired me—” “You leaned over the rail and poured a glass of wine on my head. It waa very funny. The—lady waa dmrmed." "I recall It perfectly. I remember that I,did It under protest—lt was a very fine wine, and expensive.” "Then you also recall,” said Mr. Pierce, very quietly, "that because you were with a—well, because you were with a woman, I oould not return your compliment. But I demanded the privilege at some future date when you were alone." "It Is a pity,” replied Mr. von I* wald, "that now, when I am alone, there is no wine!** "No, there is no wine;” Mr. Pierce agreed slowly, "but there Is—“ I opened the door at that, and berth of them started. Mr. von Inwald was standing with Ms arms folded, and Mr. Pierce bad one arm raised holding up a glass of spring water. In another second it would have been la the other man's face. I walked over to Mr. Pierce and took the glass out of hia hand, sad Ms expression was funny to see. "I’ve been looking everywhere tor that glass,” I said. "It's got to he washed.” Mr. von Inwald laughed and picked up hla soft hat from the table. He turned around at the door and looked back at Mr. Pierce, still laughing. "Accept my apologies!” he said. "It. waa such a fine wine; and ao expeoaive.” Then he went out. CHAPTER Vlll. f . I was pretty nervous wbe& I took charge of the news stand that evening. irnunii* King had an appointment with the dentist and had left everything topeyturvey. I wss atfO straightening up when people began to come down to dinner. Two or three things happened that night Hot one, I got a good took at Miss Julia Summers. She was lighthaired and weR-fleshed, with an ngly face but a pleasant smile. She wore a low-necked drees that made Miss Cobb’s with the yoke out look like n storm collar, and If she had a broken heart she didn’t show it "Hello!” she cried, looking at my hair, "are you selling tobadco here ot are you the cigar-lighter?” "Neither,” I answered, looking over her head. 1 an employed as the extinguisher ot gay guests.” "Good,” she said, smiling. "I’m something line at that myself. Suppose I stay here and help. If I watch that line of knitting women I’ll be crocheting Arabella’s wool in my deep tonight” .:)• Well, she was too cheerful to be angry with! So she stayed around tor a while, and It was amazing bow much tobacco I sold that evening. Men who usually bought tobies bought the beat cigars, and when Mr. Jennings came up, scowling, and I banded Mm the brand he'd smoked for years, die took one. clipped the end of It aa neat as a finger nail and gave It to him. holding op the lighter. "I’m not going to smoke yet, young woman," be said, glaring at her. But she only smiled. "I'm sorry.” she said. "I’ve bean waiting hungrily until some discriminating smoker would buy one of those and light it. I love the aroma.” And he stood there for thirty mtsi utes, standing mostly on one toot on account of the gouty one, puffing like a locomotive; with her sniffing at the aroma and telling him how lonely she felt with no friends around and |Wfl eight "o'clock he*ha?*Mra. Hutchins bring him n single year should he thrown nwudl

He Gave Me a Good Stare.

“I’ve Been Locking Everywhere for That Glass.”