Jasper County Democrat, Volume 2, Number 11, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 24 June 1899 — AUNT HANNAH'S SECRET. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

AUNT HANNAH'S SECRET.

By H. E. Scott.

CHAPTER XII.-—(Continned.) “The indorsement on the back of this tMtrament,” said the lawyer, “is this: •Laat Will and Testament of Alvin DeRosette.’ ” He carefully unfolded the paper, readjusted his glasses and raised the document before him. “Wilmington, North Carolina, New Hanover County, March third, eighteen hundred and fifty-seven. % “This is to certify that I, Alvin Deßosette, being of sonnd mind and vigorous, hut uncertain as to when death may overcame me, de hereby, on this, the day and date above mentioned,! namely, the third day of March, eighteen hundred and fiftyseven, pen this instrument, and I do further declare it to be my last will and testament, subject, however, to such, if any, codicils as I may hereafter see proper to devise. “I do hereby declare my beloved daughter, Harriet M. Deßosette, my only living child, to be my sole heir and legatee, and ta her I do give and bequeath my entire estate, both real and personal, lands, houses, money, bonds, stocks, chattels and slaves. In fact, all property of whatever nature of which I may die possessed. With K exception, however, of the following nests and manumissions, which I desire my beloved daughter and administrator to see fulfilled immediately, or as soon as may be after my demise. "First—l desire thnt Duke, my trusted servant for these many years, me manumitted. and I bequeath him the sum of tvs thousand dollars with which to provide for his necessities in his declining years.” “God bless my ole master,” groaned Vucle Duke; "but I earn leave the bank—--1 cars leave my Miss Hattie!” “Nor shall you, Uncle Duke,” sobbed Hattie. “Second,” read the lawyer, “to Hannah, who has ever been true and faithful, I devise her freedom from servitude and direct teat the sum of one thousand dollars be paid.” “De good Lord!” sobbed Hannah, sinking on her knees. “Third—To Millie and Adam I devise five hundred dollars each, and leave with my dear daughter the matter of their manumiasion, requesting her, however, to at an early date draw a written instrument devising them their freedom in case of her death.” “God bless Mars Alvin!” exclaimed Adam, while Millie could only sink on ier knees at the side of her migtress and apb. “I isen gwine, Miss Hattie! I isen gwlne!” “I further,” read the attorney, "desire my daughter to see that above sums of money to be paid my negroes, be not squandered, and I direct her to personally look after the management of their monetary affairs. ‘To my old friend, Jerry Dobbs, the trusted attorney of ‘The Cape Fear Bank,’ as a slight testimonial of my regard, I bequeath the sum of five thousand dollars, should he survive me; otherwise I direct that the aforesaid sum be paid to his son Arthur by my administrator.” Here the old attorney nearly broke down. His voice and manner showed great agitation. ‘To Herman Craven, my nephew, nnd at this time the cashier of my bank, 1 give and bequeath the sum of ” The attorney hesitated, removed his glasses, carefully ran his silk handkerchief ever them, and with a seemingly nervous hand replaced them. **To Herman Craven, my nephew, at this time cashier of my bank, I do give and bequeath the sum of ” The attorney’s eyes left the written instrument and rested on the features of the cashier. There were the eyes of one other in the room fixed on Herman Craven also—the ♦yes of the great Southern detectives Herman sat as though wondering at the delay. “The sum of fifty-five thousand dollars,” read the lawyer. The bank directors certainly looked surprised, and a slight exclamation fell from the Ups of some of them. Herman Craven raised his handkerchief to his eyes and moaned: “My dear, dear uncle! I had no dream that you would remember me to that extent.” - “jTPhlch sum,” continued the lawyer, as he resumed reading the will, “is sufficient to form the nucleus of a fortune, and will enable him to engage in almost any vocation.” “I should think it would,” thought Sellars. "That sum is a fortune itself—not the nucleus of one. I wonder—l do wonder,” he thought, “if Hannah was not mistakea on the night of the murder, and K it was not the. hand of other than Her- . man Craven that pulled the wire—some me who had gained admission to the house and—but no, she stated that the form she saw was clad only in a nightshirt. That argues nothing. Beneath that nightshirt there might have been all of the garments of a man—a single moment would hare sufßced to don a nightshirt. Wait” “I leave my daughter and my administrator to decide as to whether my vast interests shall be withdrawn from ‘The Cape Fear Bank’ and the funds invested is other securities. As I founded the hank, I should prefer that my interests be continued in the same. However, after my daughter shall have attained her twentieth year, it will be for her alone to determine, as my administrator's duties shall cease at that time. “I do hereby appoint as my aforesaid administrator, my friend ” Hers the attorney’s hands shook so badly that the instrument fell to the floor. He stooped, tremblingly, and recovered it. Director Ohadbourn of the bank turned 8 glass of water and handed it to him. The old pttorney raised It to his Ups. but Ma eyes were again fixed on the body of “He has found another surprise,” “I do hereby appoint as my sforoasid administrator,” retd the Iswysr, “toy itfin CrAvem.'*

This time there were uamistakea expressions of surprise. “In whom,” resumed the lawyer, “I have implicit confidence, and I direct that he be required to give no bond for the faithful performance of the duties entailed.” To say that there waa consternation on the faces of the directors would be to draw it mildly. Unquestionably, the banker’s daughter was not less surprised, and Sellars? What shall we say of him? He was dumbfounded. * “Hannah was clearly mistaken,” he thought. “I do also appoint my aforesaid administrator as guardian of my beloved daughter, and by reason of my estate’s being large and my interests many, I direct that his duties as such guardian shall not cease until my daughter shall reach her twentieth birthday. This provision, however, to be void in case of the marriage of my aforesaid daughter before she shall reach the age of twenty, and In which event her husband shall supplant her guardian.” A cry of pain and anguish escaped the white lips of Miss Deßosette, and her head fell forward upon the shoulder of her companion. All eyes were directed to her moaning form. The directors—the friends of the dead banker of fifty years’ standing—sat pale, silent, mute. Sellars, overcome though he was with astonishment, yet had his keen eyes fixed on the features of the cashier. Bat naught but a placid countenance did he see—so evidence of surprise there—no twitching of the muscles of the sac a look of exultation, merely a dead calm face, slightly flushed, and a pair of inquirmg eyes looking up at the lawyer. "De Lord God!” was the exclamation that fell from the lips of old Unde Duke. Herman Craven did not cast a glance in his direction. “In witness whereof,” continued the lawyer, “I have hereunto set my hand and seal in this, the city of Wilmington, State of North Carolina, this, the third day of March, eighteen hundred and fifty-seven. "ALVIN DE ROSETTE. “Witnesses—John D. Lloyd, Freeman Elliott.” “This ends the reading of the instrument,” said the attorney, sinking into a chair. “The conclusion comes as a surprise,” observed Director Hammond. “That i»— understand me, Mr. Craven—of course death came so suddenly to our friend that none of ns, I think, had given the matter a thought. But, excuse me, there are so many old and tried friends—men of greater experience than yourself— that it seems strange that he should have designated you as the administrator of his estate and guardian of his daughter.” “Very, very strange!” echoed the other directors. “I am not surprised at that, gentlemen.” Herman said blandly. “It was because of your age that my uncle did not name «"«f one of you. Remember, a week ago he bade fair to live as long as any of you. He would have named Mr. Dobbs but for his age.” “Strange the will does not: read ‘my nephew, Herman Craven,’ instead of *my friend, Herman Craven,’ ” remarked Director Chadbourn. “It would seem so,” said Herman; “but my uncle often used to term me “friend Herman.’ Yes, more often than he did ‘nephew’ in our private conversations. He had notified me that he had named me as administrator of his will, but he had not informed me how liberally he had remembered me in the same. It quite overpowers me,” and Herman raiaed his handkerchief to his eyes. “The witnesses to this will?” observed the detective. “Went down with the ill-fated Gosmore. and within sight of the British coast,” said the attorney. “Then,” remarked Sellars, “there are no living witnesses?” “None,” the attorney said; “but signatures are here, and there is no question but what they are genuine. You all know them, gentlemen.” “Yes,” observed Director Hammond, “and I was aware they had witnessed our old friend's signature to big will. After their death I think he intended getting other signatures, but he deferred it too long.” Sellars had advanced, and the attorney handed him the will, which he closely scrutinized. “Yes,” he said presently, “the signatures are genuine beyond a doubt, but ” ■> “But what, Mr. Sellars?” asked Lawyer Dobbs. “I was about to say that the signatures are genuine, bpt the witnesses themselves are somewhere rocking to and fro, deep down in the bosom of the ocean,” answered Sellars. “And the sea,” thought Herman Craven, “will not give up its dead.” “What step is first necessary?” he asked. “The submission of the will for probate,” said the attorney, “and imaaediately thereafter you must enter at mice oa the discharge of your duties. You will find them such as to require great care aad discretion, but both myself and the direc-tors-of the bank stand ready to lead you every possible aid.” “I shall enter upon them, gentlemen, depending largely on your advice,” remarked Herman, “and every provision of my uncle’s will shall be carried out faithfully. To my cousin I shall endeavor to prove a faithful guardian.” A groan burst from the quivering lips of the young heiress as she arose to her feet. ‘There is something——” She caught the warning glance of tike detective, and leaning heavily oa her companion’s arm, left the room. “My coosia isqjuite overcome,” observed Herman. “Very naturally *o,” said Sellarm. “She has just listened to the reading of the last aa teatameat of her marieeed fisto-

chapter xin.

E** 1 roU hy-” he tkoagkt. as he sat in Us private ofire at the-hpak, will do: be Hfinlt a at least to make her my wife, fihe’drarly Bordered her father. J ramie's praaeace ia the house so aioch I do aot like. It most be checked. Clearly, I mast talk to this ward of mine. It is aot seemly far the daaghter of a murdered maa to be oa terms of intimacy with the sister of the wretch who—who lies ia jail under the charge of having murdered Urn. Under the charge of having murdered him? Ha! ha! Was he aot caught red-handed ia the act? As for the funds ia the task, 1 mast leave everything as it ia aatO Hattie shall hare become my wife. I mast win the confidence of the beak directors. Bat above aD I most become the president of The Cape Fear Bank.' There is nothing easier. now that I represent a majority of the stock, as my cousin's guardian, and am the administrator of ny uncle's estate. The directors meet this evening to choose a successor to the late president, and ia the interest of the late president's daaghter. I. Herman Craven, moat he that president. What is it, Duke 7” “Attorney Dobbs. Mars Herman.” “Admit him. Unde Duke, yon hare been a faithful man for a negro. To-mor-row you will be free. You will have no master and will have two thousand dollars to your credit ia the bank.*’ “I will have a young mistress, Man Herman,” said the o‘d maa. “who Fd die die to serve. As for freedom. I'm too old for dat; I belongs to Mars Alvin's bank aad Miss Hattie, and always will, bat God bless old master jus” de same for strikin' off de shackles. Not de body—for dar waa't none dar -but from de soaL I kea die a free man. Glory to God!” “You will be right here just the same, Duke. Now admit the attorney. “I was ia hopes you would call in this morning, Mr. Dobbs,” he said, arising from his seat aad extending his hand as the attorney approached him, “aa there is a matter 1 wished to see you about. Pray be seated.” “In that event I am glad I called," observed the lawyer, seating himself, “hat I think I can guess the subject. It ia of the directory meeting to night, at which a successor to Alvin Deßosette mast be named as the bank's president, ia it not?” “The same, Mr. Dobbs. The same.” “I had a conference with Directors Chadbourn. Hammond and Hoyt this morning.” said the attorney, “and the two latter favor Mr, Chadbooro for the presidency. Yon see, he is a maa who has always been identified with the bank aad has had a vast experience in monetary affairs. The public have full confidence in him, and I think yon may safely east the vote yon represent as your ancle*s administrator for him. In fact, the matter laja entirely with you. Your action decides the presidency and largely the future of the bank. Of coarse, yon will remain cashier.” “Such is aot my intention. Mr. Dobbs.” said Herman. “What, yon will sever your connection ! with the bankT “Oh. no, Mr. Dodds, not that! Now, understand me. I have the most implicit confidence in Director Chadbooro. Aa the second largest stockholder, he is the bank's vice-president, aad as such I am content that he remain. As the representative of the stock that made my node the president, and as his administrator aad the guardian of his daughter. I conceive it to be my duty to take his place as nearly as I can in all that pertains to his business affairs. I feel indeed, that be would have it so or be would not have named me his administrator. Yes, I feed ia duty bound to make Herman Craven the president of the bank, and I ask your co-opera-tion aad aid.” The rid attorney's face paled, and for a moment he sat speechless. “I beg yon,” he said, when he had mastered his emotion, “think well of this matter. You have had but two years' experience in banking affairs. Director Chadbourn has had that of half a lifetime. His name would inspire confidence and the bank would not hue a customer. With you as its president I fear the result would not be the same. Yon are young and can wait. You hare every confidence in Mr. Chadbourn and would be fine just as you have been in the past. Public confidence must not be shaken by an unwise move at this time.” (To be continued.)