Evening Republican, Volume 18, Number 119, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 20 May 1914 — WHERE THERE'S A WILL [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

WHERE THERE'S A WILL

MARY ROBERTS RINEHART

'CIRCULAR, MAX /SLOWER. TEN, WHENAMA?} MAE2R.IB9 ILLUSTRATED & EDGAR BERT SMITH

synopsis:

Minnie, spring-house girl at Hope sanatorium, tells the story. It opens with the antral at Mira Patty Jennings, who is reported to be engaged to marry a prince, and the death of the old doctor who owns the sanatorium. The estate is left to a SMpegrgoe grandson, Dicky Carter, who must appear. oa a certain date and run the sanatorium successfully for two months or forfeit the inheritance. A case off mumps delays EBek’s-arrival. Mr. Thohun is hovering about in , hopes of securing the place for a summer hotel. S'tM'ci, a college man in hard luck, is prevtUed upon by Van Alstyne, Dick's broth-RtMri-wwp to iropaywonnt* the missing heir ana take charge of the sanatorium until Oartar arrives. Dick, who has 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. Rick arranges with Pierce to cont£ue tn the management of the property. Julia Summers, leading lady of Pierce's stranded theatrical company, arrives. She is suing Dicky for breach of promise. The prince, under the incognito of Oskar ven Inwald, ariives at the sanatorium. Barnes, chakcter man with Pierce’s show and a graduate M. D., takes the place of sanatorium physician. Pierce, who is very much interested In Patty, shows a strong dislike for Inwald. Dick becomes peevish over the independent manner in which Pieroe is running the sanatorium. Miss Summers discovers that the Dick Carter she is seeking Is the owner of the sanatorium. Dick. In attempting to steal tys love letters from Miss Summers, breaks into the wrong room and gets the wtong letteni. Miss Summers' dog has convulsions fcom overeating. The patients believe it has been poisoned by the doped spring water. In a panic they go to Pierce and start a row. He tells them the truth about themselves and they make preparations to leave. A enow blockade compels the patients to return, fierce lays out a course of rational and staple living and all agree to give it a tftflLL

CHAPTER XI!. ( They took to .it like ducks to water. t NoL of course, that they didn’t kick about making their own beds and having military discipline generally. They complained a lot, but when after throe days went by with the railroad running as much on schedule as ft ever does, they were all still there, and Mr. Jennings had limped out and spent a halfhpnr at the wood pile with his gouty foot on a cushion, I saw it was a success. I ought to have been glad. I was, although when Mrs. Dicky found they were all staying, and that she might have to live in the shelter-house the rust of the winter, there was an awful scene. I was glad, too, every time 1 oould see Mr. Thoburn's gloomy faoe, or hoar the tilings he said when his name went up for the military walk.

The strange thing of all was the way 4hey began to look up to Mr. Pierce. He was very strict; if he made a rule, ft was obey or leave. (As they knew after Mr. Moody refused to take the military walk, and was presented with his bill and a railroad schedule within an hour. He had to take the military walk with Doctor Barnes that aftersoon alone.) They had to respect a man who could do all the tilings la the gymnasium that they couldn’t, and come in from a ten or fifteen-mlle tramp through the snow and take a cold plunge and a swim to rest himself. It was on Monday that,we really got things started, and on Monday afternoon Miss Summers came out to the ■helter-hoime in a towering rags. "Where’s Mr. Pierce?” she demanded. "I guess you can see he isn’t bure,” I said. "Just wait until I see him!” she announced. "Do you know that I am down on the blackboard for the military walk today?—II"! - "Why notf

She turned and glared at me. "Why not?” she repeated. "Why, the audacity of the wretch! He brings me out into the country in winter to play in hie atrocious play, strands me, and then tells me to walk twenty miles a day and smile over it!” She came over to me and shook my anfi. "Not only that,” she said, “but he has cut out my cigarettes and put Arabella on dog biscuit—Arabella, who can, hardly eat a chicken wing." "Well, there's something to be thankful for," I said. “He didn’t put you on dog biscuit" She laughed then, with one of her quick changes of humor. “The worst of it II," she said, in a confidential whisper, "I'll do it I feel it I guess if the truth were known I’m some older than he is,- but—l'mafraid of him, Minnie. Little Judy is ready to crawl around and speak for a cracker or a kind word. Oh, I'm not in lore With him, but he's got the courage to say what he means ami do what he says." z She went to the door and looked back smiling, “I'm off for the wood-pile,” she called book. “And Fee promised to ehop two inches off my heels.” As I say, they took to it like ducks to water sacept two of them, von Inweld and Thoburn. Mr. yon Inwald stayed on. I hardly know why, but I guess it was because Mr. Jennings still hadn't done anything final about set tlaments, and with the newspapers marrying him every day it wasn't very comfortable. Next to him, Mr. Thobum was the unhappiest mortal I have ever seen. Doctor Banes camo out that afternoon and watched mo whfla I dosed the windows. Ho had a package ta his

hand. He sat on the railing of the spring and looked at me. "You’re not warmly enough dressed for this kind of thing," he remarked. “Where’s that gray rabbits' fur, or whatever it 14?" “If you mean my chinchillas,” I said, "they’re in their box. Chinchillas are as delicate as babies and not near so plentiful. Fm warm enough.” “You look it" He reached over and caught one of my hands. "Look at that! Blue nails! It’s about four degrees above zero here, and while the rest are wrapped in furs and steamer rugs, with hot water bottles at their feet, you’ve got on a shawl. I’ll bet you two dollars you haven’t got on any—er—winter flannels,” "I never bet," I retorted, and went on folding up the steamer rugs. ‘Td like to help,” he said, "but you're so darned capable. Miss Minnie—” “You might see if you can get the slot-machine empty,” I said. "It’s full of water. It wouldn't work and Mr. Moody thought ft was frozen. He's been carrying out boiling water all afternoon. If it stays in there and. freezes the thing will explode.** He wasn't listening. He'd been fussing with his package and now he opened it and handed it to me, in the paper. "It's a sweater," he said, not looking at me. "I bought it for myself and ft was too small— Confound it, Minnie, I wish I could lie! I bought them for you! There’s the whole businesssweater, cap, leggings and mittens. Go on! Throw them at me!” But I didn't I looked at them, all white and soft, and it came over me suddenly how kind people had been lately, and how much I’d been getting —the old doctor's waistcoat buttons and Miss Pat's fun, and now this! I just burled my face in them and cried. Doctor Barnes stood by and said nothing. Some men wouldn’t have understood, but he did. After a minute or so he came over and pulled the sweater out from the bundle.

“I’m glad you like ’em,” he said, "but as I bought them at Hubbard’s, in Finleyville, and as* the old liar guaranteed they wouldn’t shrink, we’d better not cry, on’em.” Well, I put them on and I was warmer and happier than I had been tor some time.- But that night when I went out to the shelter-house with the supper basket I found both the honeymooners in a wild state of excitement. They said that about five o’clock Thoburn had gone out to the shelter-house and walked all around IL Finally he had stopped at one of the windows of the, other room, had worked at ft with his penknife and got It open, and crawled through. They sat paralyzed with fright, and heard him moving around the other room, and he even tried their door. But it had been locked.

By Friday of that week you would hardly have known any of them. The fat ones were thinner and the thin ones fatter, and Miss Julia Summers could put her whole hand inside her belt And they were pleasant. They’d sit down to a supper of ham and eggs and apple sauce, and yell for more. They fussed some still about sleeping with the windows open, especially the bald-headed men. Mr. von Inwald was still there, and not troubling himself to be agreeable to any but the Jennings family. He and Mr. Pierce carefully avoided each

other, but I knew well enough that only policy kqpt them apart. Both of them, you see, were working for something. Miss Cobb came to the springhouse early Friday morning, and from the way She came in and shut the door I know she had something on her mind. She walked over to where I was polishing the brass railing around the spring—it had been the habit of years, and not easy to break—and stood looking at mo and breathing hard. “Minnie,” she exclaimed, “I have found the thief!" "Lord have mercy!" I said, and droppod the brass polish. "I have found the thief!" she repeated firmly. “Minnie, our sins always find us out" "I tgueos they do,” I said shakily, and and down <m the stone to ths

spring. "Oh, Miss Cobb, if only he would use a little bit of sense!” "HeT”- she said. "He nothing! It's that Summen woman I’m r talking about, Minnie. I knew that woman wasn't what she ought to be the minute I set eyes on her.” "The Summen woman!” I repeated. Miss Cobb leaned over the railing and shook a finger in my face. "The Summen woman," she Baid. "One of the chambermaids found my —my protecton hanging in the creature’s closet!” I couldn’t speak. There had been so much happening that I’d. clean forgotten Miss Cobb and her woolen tights. And now to have them come back like this and hang themselves around my neck, so to speak—it was too much. - "Per—perhaps they’re hen,” I eald weakly after a minute. "Stuff and nonsense!” declared Miss Cobb. "Don't you think I know my own, with L, C. tn white cotton on the band, and my own darning in the knee where I slipped on thee Ice? And more than that, Minnie, where those tights are, my letters are!" I glanced at the pantry, where her letters were hidden on the upper shelf. The door was closed. "But—but what would she want with the letters?" I asked, with my teeth fairly hitting together. Miss Cobb pushed her forefinger into my shoulder. "To blackmail me," she said, in a tragic voice, "or perhaps to publish. I’ve often thought of that myself—they're so beautiful. Letters from a life insurance agent to his lady-love—-interesting, you know, and alliterative. As (Or that woman—!'* "What woman!” said Miss Summers* voice from behind us. We Jumped and turned. T always save myself trouble, so if by any chance you are discussing me—" "As ft happens," Miss Cobb said, glancing at her, "I was discussing you." ' "Fine!” said Miss Julia. "I love to talk about myself.” "I doubt if It's an edifying oubject,” Miss Cobb snapped. Miss Julia looked at her and smiled. 'Terhaps not,” she said, "but interesting. Don’t put yourself out to be friendly to me. Miss Cobb, if you don't feel like IL" "Are you going to return my letters?" Miss Cobb demanded. "Your letters r

"My letters—that you took out of my room!” "Look here/' Mtes Julia said, still in a good humor, "don't you suppose I've got letters of my own, without bothering with another woman's?” "Perhaps," Miss Cobb replied in triumph, “perhaps you will say that you don't know anything of my—of my black woolen protectors?" "Never heard of them!" said Miss Summers. "What are they?" And then she caught my eye, and I guess I looked stricken. "Oh!" she said. "Miss Cobb was robbed the other night,” I explained, as quietly as I could. “Somebody went Into her roofa and took * bundle of letters.** "Letteysl" Miss Summers straightened and looked at me. "And my woolen tights," said Miss Cobb Indignantly. "And Hl teU you this, Miss Summers, your dog got tn my room that, night, and while I have no suspicions, the chambermaid found my—er—missing garment this morning tn your closet!" “I don't believe,” Miss Julia said, looking hard at me, "that Arabella would steal anything so ■ -er grotesque! Do you mean to say," she added slowly, "that nothing was taken from that room but the—lingerie and a bundle of letters?” "Exactly," said Miss Cobb, "and I’d thank you for the letters." "The letters!” Miss Julia retorted. "I've never been tn your room. 1 haven't got the letters. I've never seen them." Then a light dawned tn her face. I—oh, It's the funniest everl" And with that she threw her head back and laughed until the tears rolled down her cheeks and she held her side.

“Screaming!" she gasped. "It's screaming! But, oh, Minnie, to have seen your face!" Miss Cobb swept to the door and turned in a fury. "I do not think it is funny," sho stormed, "and I shall report to Mr. Carter at once what I have discovered." She banged out, and Miss Julia put her head on a card table and writhed with joy. "To have seen your face, Minnie!** she panted, wiping her eyes. “To have thought you had Dick Carter's letters, that I keep rolled in asbestos, and then to have opened them and found they were to Miss Cobb!” “Be as happy as you like," I snapped, "but you are barking up the wrong tree. I don't know anything about any letters and as far as that goes, do you think I've lived here fourteen years to get into the wrong room at night? If I'd wanted to get into your room, Fd have found your room, not Miss Cobb**.” Bha oat vs and milled bar hat

straight, looking me right in the eye. “If you'll recall,” she said, T came into'the springhouse, and Arabella pulled that —garment of Miss Cobb’s off a table. It was early—nobody was out yet You were alone, Minnie, or ho,” she said suddenly, “you were not alone. Minnie, who was in the pantry?" "What has that to do with it?" I managed, with my feet as cold as stone. She got up and buttoned her sweater. “Don’t trouble to lie,” she said. "I can see through a stone wall as well as most people. Whoever got those letters thought they were stealing mine, and there are only two people who would try to steal my letters; one is Dick Carter, and the other is his brother-in-law. It wasn't Sam in the pantry—he came in just after with his little snip of a wife." "Well?” I managed. But she was smiling again, not so pleasantly. "I might have known it!" she said. “What a tool I’ve been, Minnie, and how clever you are under that red thatch of yours! Dicky cannot appear as long as I am here, and Pierce takes his place, and I help to keep the Bechet and to play the game! Well, I can appreciate a joke on myself as wen as most people, but—Minnie, Minnie, think of that guilty wretch of a Dicky Carter shaking in the pantry!” "I don't know what yon are talking abouL" I said, but she only winked and went to the door. "Don’t take it too much to heart," she advised. "Too much loyalty la a vice, not a virtue. And another piece of advice, Minnie—when I find Dicky Carter, stand from under; something wfll fan." They bad charades during the rest hour that afternoon, the overweights headed by the bishop, against the underweights headed by Mr. Moody. They selected their words from one of Horace Fletcher’s books, and as Mr. Pierce wasn’t either over or underwefghL they asked him to be referee. Oh, they were crazy about him by that time. It was "Mr. Carter” here and “dear Mr. Carter" there, with the women knitting him neckties and the men coming up to be bullied and asking tor more. And he kept the upper hand, too, once he got it But it Mr. Pierce was making a hit with the guests, he wasn’t so popular with the Van Alstynes or the Carters. The night the cigar stand was closed Mr. Sam came to me and leaned over the counter. "Put the key in a drawer,” he said. "I can slip* down here after the lights are out and get a smoke." "Can’t do it Mr. Van Alstyne," I said. "Got positive orders." "That doesn't include me.” He was still perfectly good-humored. “Sorry,” I said. "Have to have a written order from Mr. Pierce." He put a silver dollar on the desk between us and looked at me over it "Will that open the case?" he asked. But I shook my head. "WeD, I'll be hanged! What the devil sort of order did he give you?” "He said,” I repeated, "that I’d be coaxed and probably bribed to open the cigar case, and that you'd probably be the first one to do IL but I was to stick firm; you've been smoking too much, and your nerves are going.” ■ "Insolent young puppy!” he exclaimed angrily, and stamped away. So that I was not surprised when on that night, Friday, I was told to be at the shelter-house at ten o'clock for a protest meeting. Mrs. Sam told me.

“Something has to be done," she said. “I don't intend to stand much more. Nobody has the right to say when I shall eat or what If I want to eat fried shoe leather, that's my affair.” We met at ten o'clock at the shelterhouse, everybody having gone 'to bed —Mbs Patty, the Van Alstynes and myself. The Dickys were on good terms again, for a wonder, and when we went in they were in front of the fire, she on a box and he at her feet with his head buried in her lap. He didn’t even look up when we entered. "They're here, Dicky,” she said. | “AB right!” he answered in a smothered voice. "How many of ’em?” “Four,” she said, and kissed the tip of hie ear. 'Tor goodness sake, Dick!” Mrs. Sam snapped in a disgusted tone, “stop that spooning and got us something to sit on.” "Help yourself," ho replied, still from his wife's lap, "and don't be jealous, sis. If the sight of married happiness upsets you, go awfiy. Go away, anyhow.” Mr. Sam came over and jerked him into a sitting position. "Either you'll sit up and take part In this discussion," he said angrily, “or you’ll go out In the snow until It's over." Mr. Dick leaned over and kissed his wife's hand. “A cruel fate is separating us," be explained, "but try to enduro it until I return. I’ll be on the other side of the fireplace." ' " Mla> Patty came tg Afi gw gad

stood warming her hands. 1 saw her sister watching her. “What’s wrong with you, Pat?" she asked. “Oskar not behaving?” "I’m tired to death, but I don’t sleep," Miss Patty said. "I— l don’t know why.” ....... . . "I do/’ her sister said. "If you weren’t so haughty, Pat, and would just own up that you’re sick of your bargain—” “Dolly!” Miss Patty got red and then white. "Oh, all right,” Mrs. Dicky said, and shrugged her shoulders. "Only, 1 hate to see you make an idiot of yourself, when I’m so happy.” Mr. Dick made a move at that to go across the fireplace to her, but Mr. Sam pushed him back where he was. “You stay right there," he said. "Here’s Pierce now." He came in smiling, and as he stood inside the door, brushing the snow off, ,it was queer to see how his eyes went around the circle until he’d found Miss Patty and stopped at her. Nobody answered his smile, and he came over to the fire beside Miss Patty. “Great night!” he said, looking down at her. "There’s something invigorating in just breathing that wind.” “Do you. think so?” Mrs. Sam said disagreeably. "Of course, we haven’t all got your shoulders.” “That’s so," he answered, turning to her. "I said you women shouty not come so far. We could have met in my sitting room.” "Yowforget one thing," Mr. Dick put in disagreeably, "and that is that this meeting concerns me, and I cannot very well go to your sitting room." “Fact,” said Mr. Pierce, Td forgotten about you for the moment” "You generally do,” Mr. Dick retorted. "If you want the truth, Pierce, I’m about tiled of your high-handed methods." Mr. Pierce set his jaw and looked down at him. "Why? I’ve saved the place, haven’t I? Why, look here," he said, and pulled out a couple of letters, "these are the first fruits of those that weep—ln other words, per aspera ad astra! Two new guests coming the last of the week—want to be put in training!” Well, that was an argument nobody could find fault with, but their grievance was about themselves and they couldn’t forgive him. They turned on him in the most heartless way—even Miss Patty—and demanded that SA give them special privileges—breakfast when they wanted it, and Mr. Sam the key to the bar. And he stood firm, as he had that day in the lobby, and let the storin beat around him, i looking mostly at Miss Patty. It was more, than I could bear. "Shame on aU of you!” I said. "He's done what he promised he'd do, and more. If he did what he oughL he'd leave this minute, and let you find out. for yourself what it is to drive thirtyodd different stomachs and the same number of bad dispositions in one direction.” "You are perfectly right, Minnie,” Miss Patty said. "We’re beastly, all of us, and I’m sorry." She went over and held out her hand to him. "You’ve done the impossible,” she told him. He beamed. "Your approval means more than anything," he said, holding her hand. Mrs. Dick sat up and opened her eyes wide. ‘ "Speaking of Oskar,” she began, and

then stopped, staring past her sister, toward the door. We all turned, and there, blinking in the light, was Miss Summers. CHAPTER XIII. "Well!" she said, and stood staring. Then she smiled—l guess our faces were funny. •May I come inf she asked, and without waiting she came in and closed the door. "You do look cosy!" she said, and. shook herself tree of snow. - ~'v. Mr. Dick had turned white. He got up with Ms eyes on her, and twice he emptied him wwwth and couldn't umbll

He backed, still watching her, to his wife, and stood in front of her, as if to protect her. 7.” “ \ Mr. Sam got his voice first "B—bad night for a walk,” he said. "Frightful!” she said. Tve been buried to my knees. May I sit down?" To those of us who knew, her easy manner bad something horrible in ft. "Sorry there are no chairs, Julia," Mr. Pierce said. “Sit on the cot, won’t you?" “Who Is ft?" Mrs. Dick asked from, as you may say, her eclipse. She and M|ss Summers were the only calm ones in the room. “I—l don't know,” Mr. Dick stammered, but the next moment Miss Julia, from the cot, looked across at him and grinned. - -t - “Well, Dicky 1” she said. "Who'd have thought ft!" "You said you didn't know her!" hfo wife said from behind him. “Who’d have thought wha—what?" he asked with bravado. "All this!” Miss Julia waved he* hand around the room, with its bare walls, and blankets over the windows to keep the light in and the cold out, and the circle of us sitting around on sand boxes from the links and lawn rollers. “To find you here, all snug in your own home, with your household gods and a wife.” Nobody could think of anything to say. “That is,” she went on, "I believe there is a wife. Good heavens. Dicky, it isn’t Minnie?" He stepped aside at that, disclosing Mrs.-Dick on her box, with her childish eyes wide open. “There—there is a wife, Jolla," ho said. "This is her—she." Well, she’d come out to make mischief—it was written all over her when she came in the door, but when Mr. Dick presented his wife, frightened as he was and still proud of her, and Mrs. Dick smiled in her pretty way. Miss Summers just walked across and looked down at her with a queer look on her face. I shut my eyes and wafted for the crash, but nothing came, and when I opened them again there were the two women holding hands and Miss Summers smiling a sort of crooked grin at Mr. Dick; "I ought to be very angry with your husband,” she said. "I— well, I never expected him to marry, without my being among those present But since he has done ft—! Dick, you wretched boy, you took advantage of my being laid up with the mumps!” "Mumps!" Mrs. Dick said. “Why, he has just had them himself!” She looked around the circle suspiciously, and every one of us looked as guilty as It ho had been caught with the mumps concealed around him somewhere. “I didn’t have real mumps,” Mr. Dick explained. "It was only— er—a swelling.” "You said it was and even now you hate pickles!” Mr. Pierce had edged over to Miso Summers and patted her shoulder. "Be a good sport, Julia,” be whimpered. She threw off his hand. ‘ Tm being an idiot!” sho said aa» grily. "Dick's an ass, and he’s treated me like a villain, but look at that baby! It win be twenty years before she has to worry about her weight” "I think we’d better be going.” Miss Patty got up and gathered up hep cloak. But if she meant to break up the party Miss Summers was not ready. "If you don’t mind," sho said. TH stay. I’m frozen, and I’ve got to gift home and sleep with my window up. You’re lucky,” she went on to the Dickys. "I dare say the air in hero would scare ns under a but at least ft is warm."

The (Van Alstynes made a move to go, but Mr. Dicky frantically gestured to them not to leave him alone, and Mrs. Sam sat down again sulkily. Mr; Pierce picked up his cap. "I’ll take you back,” he said to Mlag Patty, and his face was fairly glowin* But Miss Patty slipped her arm through mine. “Come, Minnie, Mr. Pierce is going to take us,” she said. “I’d—l’d rather go alone,” I said. “Nonsense.” “I’m not ready. I’ve got to gathsa up these dishes,” I objected. Out <g the corner of my eye I could see thd glow dying out of Mt. Pierce’s foce But Miss Patty took my arm and les me to the door. them gather up their own dlsto es,” she said. Dolly, you ought to ba ashamed to let Minnie slave for ygd the way sho does. Good night, everyi body.” (TO BB CONI'INUm.)

"I Never Bet,” I Retorted.

“If the Sight of Married Happiness Upsets You, Go Away."