The Stolen Will. A novel

Front matter

THE STOLEN WILL § SJofol By W. S. HAYWARD AUTHOE OF "DUSTED TO DEATH," "LOVE AGAINST IHE WORLD," "THE EECEET SEVEK," ETC. LONDON JOUN AND ROBERT MAXWELL MILTON HOUSE, SHOE LANE, FLEET STEEET [4H Lights fieserved] ME. W. S. HAYWAED'S NOVELS CHEAP NEW EDITIONS. Price 2s. each; cloth gilt, 2s. Gd. I. HUNTED TO DEATH. A Novel of tho most alluring Interest. II. PERILS OF A PRETTY GIRL. A Novel founded upon real lisa. III. LOVE AGAINST THE WORLD. A Novel showing that the " course of true love never did run smooth." IV. ETHEL GRET. A Novel unsurpassed for dramatic power and depth of plot. V. MAUDE LUTON. A Novel descriptive of the most charming traits in woman's nature. VI. CAROLINE. A Novel of the most captivating character, full of variety, pathos, and feminine interest. VII. THE THREE RED MEN.

A Novel possessing all the oharms of romance and all the graces of a genuine love-story. VIII. BARBAEA HOME. IX. JOHN HAZEL'S VENGEANCE. %* Mr. W. Stephens Hatward's Novels have taken their place amongst the most popular workB of the present day. They command a ready and, large sale in all the colonies, where the scenes of some are laid, and where tho author passed through many of the incidents so graphically and faithfully described in some of his most interesting Novels. CONTENTS CHAPTER pA0R I. Old and Life-weary . . , 1 H. A Solicitor's Letter ... 10 III. Luke Ferret . . . . .16 IV. Another Letter .... 20 V. Mr. Hance Visits London . . .26 VI. Margarite in a Eage ... 32 VLL Mr. Ferret Defeated . . . .38 Vm. Another Scheme .... 44 IX. The Robbery 51 X. The Arrest ..... 57 XI. The Trial . . . . .63 III.

Mr. Ferret's Hopes are Eealised . . 69 XIII. Arthur Seldon . . . . .73 XIV. The Furlongs .... 79 XV. Henry Furlong . , . .85 XVI. Adelaide ..... 90 XVEL Thomas Temple . . . 93 XVIII. A Lover Rejected .... 98 XIX. A Declaration of Independence . , 102 XX. Suspicion and Hope . . . 106 XXI. A Demon Awakened Again . . . Ill XXH. " Anywhere, Anywhere !" . . , 117 XXIII. A Turn of Fortune . , , . m CONTENTS. CHAPTE8 FAGS XXIV. Repentance . i ; . 129 XXV. A Single Female Emigrant . . • 135 XXVI. "A Situation up the Country" . «, 141 XXVII. Johnson, the Retriever . . . 146 XXVHL A Good Resolution . . . 154 XXIX. Bright Prospects in View . . .158 XXX. The Demon at Work Again . . 163 XXXI. Reappearance of Mr. Ferret . . . 169 XXXII. Mary Meets an Old Acquaintance . 175 XXXIH. Mr. Ferret Changes his Game . . 182 XXXIV.

Chapter I. Old And Life-weary

" How much longer must I wait for death ? " thought old John Hance, as he sat musing by his fireside one dreary day in November. " Life is worth nothing to me now, and I am only in the way of others, and keeping them from spending my money in the search of happiness. That's a pleasant thought for a man of my age. Seventyeight years of age, and not a relative to regret my loss when I die — no one to try to enliven my dreary existence in the dull loneliness of age. I don't believe there is a person who has heard of my name but what will be pleased at learning that I am dead. I am quite certain that my nephew Ferret will even smile with joy at tho news of my death : yes, his face will bear au B expression of pleasure — something it never did before. And he is to have the most of my wealth ! Certainly, I have lived for some thing."

The life John Hance was then living, was certainly one not to be envied, and was made more unpleasant from its contrast with the past. His residence was in Kent, on a small estate inherited from his father. It was once a pleasant and beautiful home, but that was when Mr. Hance was many years younger, and was blessed with a wife and family. Wealth and all that it commands could no longer give him a happy home, for he was old and friendless. His wife, son, and daughter were dead. He was alone, and no longer young. A young man has life before him, and can seek or win friends and happiness if he has them not, but for Mr. Hance there was nothing left of hfe but a few hours of waiting for death. Like the most of those who are unhappy, he had but himself to blame for the unfortunate circumstances in which he fancied himself to be placed.

He regretted the want of relatives and friends, but a passionate temper, united to obstinate self will, had driven friends and relatives from his society. The nephew Ferret already mentioned was the son of a nfece, and was only acknow ledged by Mr. Hance to be a relative for the reason that he and his mother — now dsad — had never done anything to offend the old gentle man's prejudices and self-will. Mr. Hance had a grandson — a youth he had never seen or acknowledged as a relative. The youth had ever been neglected by his grand parent, and punished for the error committed by his mother, in leaving her home, and marrying a man Mr. Hance justly disliked. For this error the old gentleman never forgave his daughter. She was disowned, and died in great poverty and despair, a few months after the birth of a child — the grandson Mr. Hance had never acknowledged.

Mr. Hance, like most of the " fine old English gentlemen of the olden time," was a man of the strictest honour, stern in his justice and inflexible in his opinions. His daughter had disobeyed his com mands, proved unworthy of his regard, and had been disowned. Her son was no more to him than the child of any other wilful, foolish woman. Thus thought John Hance, and as he thoughf he had ever acted, as every honest man should do. He had neglected the grandson, and claimed Luke Ferret, the son of a niece, as his nephew and heir. Ferret was a young solicitor, residing in Lon don, and for many years had paid the old gentle man a yearly visit. So much of Ferret's time had been engaged in acquiring, and afterwards ia practising, his profession, that Mr. Hance had found but slight opportunities for acquiring a knowledge of his character.

The old gentleman seldom visited town, and whenever he did was ever in haste to get away from it, for he was stout, and disinclined to active movements, to prevent being pushed about by others. He disliked noise and the sight of rags and dirty people. His last visit to the Metropolis was made about two years before he is introduced to the reader, and during that visit Ferret had drawn his last will, which Mr. Hance had duly signed, leaving all his wealth, with the exception of a few pounds to two old servants, to the young solicitor Ferret, who retained the will in his possession. In the summer-time Mr. Hance used to amuse himself with his garden and farm, but in the winter his days were passed in a very dreary manner. His favourite amusement in unpleasant weather was sitting over a fire, railing at fortune, and occasionally diverting himself by getting into a violent passion with some one or all of the servants, who, knowing that it was "his way," did not give themselves more trouble about his displeasure than to do their duty.

Mr. Hance could not forget that he had a grandson, the son of a once much loved and only daughter, and for a time an only child. He could not prevent having a little curiosity — the pish to know something of the fate of his daughter's boy. He struggled against this wish, and would violently dismiss all thoughts of his grandson whenever they intruded upon his mind, but they would again and again return. He was thinking of that grandson on that dreary November morning on which we have intro duced him to the reader. " I have a grandson," thought he, " and there is no use in my trying to make myself believe to the contrary, for I can't do it. I've been trying long enough. I must learn what he is about — whether he is honest or not. If he is what the son of his father ought to be, then I shall be satisfied with what I have done ; but if he is what the grandson of John Hance should be — an honest youth — then I will do something for him.

I will remove this uncertainty. Con science shall trouble me no more. I will write to Ferret to make inquiries, and I will do it immediately." Mr. Hance rang the bell, and soon after a woman, who had been a servant in his house for forty-six years, entered the room silently, and stood by the door, waiting the pleasure of her master. Mr. Hance sat for some time with his eyes fixed upon the fire. " Yes, I will write to Ferret," he exclaimed, " and if my grandson is worthy of my assistance, he shall have it." Again he rang the bell. " Here, sir," exclaimed the old servant, who for some time had been standing in the room. " Why don't you speak when you come in ? " cried the old man, in a tone of anger. "You always steal into the room like a cat after a mouse, and I have been trying to teach you better for the last fifty years.

I believe you do it because you know I don't like it. Let me see — what did I want of you 1 Your confounded sly, sneaking way of stealing in has made me forget what I rang for." " Shall I tell you, sir ? " asked the woman, " Yes, of course, if you know." " You wanted to learn from me where you coulcl find your grandson— the son of your poor daughter Mary." "You old wretch!" exclaimed the old man, rising to his feet; "I'll break every bone in your body ! " The old servant glided out of the door, just in time to avoid a chair that was thrown across the room towards her. " Confound that woman ! " exclaimed the old gentleman, after her departure ; "she will drive me mad! I have forbade her to mention that subject to me, on pain of death, and she will do it. It is not three years ago since she made an appeal to me on behalf of my grandson, and now she has stolen in and done it again, I believe for the very reason that it was the last thing I wish to remember, and she knows it."

After working himself up to a violent passion over the conduct of his servant, his anger began to subside, and, as usual, went down nearly as quickly as it had arisen. " I do believe old Margarite is right," he ex claimed, after again being seated at the fire. " It was to learn what she knew about my grandson that I sent for her." Again he rang the bell, and soon aftei turned his eyes towards the door, and found as he expected, the servant standing within the room. The old gentleman seemed not to recollect the scene that had just transpired, for turning towards her he said, " Margarite, two or three years ago you told me that you knew where my grandson could be found. Do you know where he is now 1 " "No, but I have a nephew living in London who do know. Leastwise, he should, for I have told him always to keep an eye on the young man, as I can't help liking him, for his mother's sake, though I never saw him."

"Who is this nephew, and where does he hve , " " His name is John Wheeler, and he keeps a grocery shop. I forgets the street, but I have it written on a piece of paper as is in my Bible." " Why have you put your nephew to the trouble of looking after the boy ? " " Because I wanted you should be able to find him some time, and be kind to him, for the sake of his poor mother." "You are a good woman, Margarite, and 1 wish that I had been guided by you about this affair long ago. I am going to find my grand son. Go and bring the paper containing the address of your nephew the grocer." " May the Lord bless you, master ! " exclaimed the old lady, as she hurried out of the room. She soon after returned, and handed her master a small, dirty piece of paper. " That will do, Margarite," said Mr. Hance, "you can go now.

I will give you this again when I am done with it. You might have it now, only I see that it 'will take me half-an-hour to make out the few words there are on it." Margarite retired to the door, but did not leave the room. "What are you waiting for ? " asked Mr. Hance. " Please, master, if you would write to my nephew, you would learn all about Arthur." "Who is Arthur?" " Why, your grandson. They are acquainted." "For that very reason I shall not write to him, but shall write to. another, and then I shall learn the truth." " You will never learn the truth if you write to Mr. Ferret ! " exclaimed Margarite, springing out of the room, and closing the door to escape the storm of anger her remark would create. This precaution was not unnecessary, for she had again aroused her master's rage, for daring to have an opinion of her own, and that opinion an ill one of the young man he had chosen for his heir — of a young man of whom she knew nothing, except what could be learnt from his appearance during the visits that Ferret had made to the house.

Chapter II

A SOLICITOR'S LETTER. After the anger of Mr. Hance had again sub sided, he sat down to the task of writing a letter to the man he called his nephew. " For some time," he wrote to Ferret, " I have not been satisfied with my conduct in the past towards my daughter and her son. It is too late now to think of repairing any injustice to her, for she is certainly lost to me for ever ; but if her son is a respectable, well-behaved young man, I think it right that I should do something to assist him, and I believe that your sense of justice will lead you to take the same view of my duty, and will cause you to aid me in fulfilling it. I wish you to find my grandson, Arthur Seldon, and learn all you can about him. Write to me the full particulars of wdiat you learn, and I shall know how to act in the future.

There is a grocer named Wheeler living at No. — , A Street, near London Bridge, who, I am told, can give you some information about the young man, and may be able, to tell you where he is to be found. Learn all you can, and write to me." Two days after this letter was posted Mr. Hance received a reply from Ferret, acknow ledging the receipt of the letter, and promising that the business mentioned in it should be attended to immediately. " I have often thought it was your duty to do something for your grandson," wrote Ferret, " and have only refrained from mentioning the subject to you through fear of increasing youi displeasure. I am pleased to learn that you have at last been aroused to a sense of duty — duty I shall aid you in fulfilling with pleasure. You may expect to hear from me again soon."

" Luke Ferret is a fine fellow," thought Mr. Hance, after reading this letter. " It is a pity that he is a solicitor ; he is too honest to live in that calling. But never mind, his honesty shall be fully rewarded by me." For two weeks Mr. Hance waited very impatiently, before he received another letter from Ferret. It came at last, and, with a trembling hand, he broke the seal. Having once made a commencement towards establishing an acquaintance with his grandson, his anxiety to do so became stronger the more his thoughts dwelt upon the subject, and his excitement on receiving this letter from Ferret was much greater than he once could have believed would ever exist from the same cause. He unfolded the letter, and read :— "— , Chancery Lane, London, "Nov. 28th. "Dear Uncle, " I have at last succeeded in finding your grandson, and in learning much concerning him — much that I do not wish to write, yet much more than you will wish to hear.

But I shall express no opinion. I will tell you what I have seen and learnt, and you must judge for your self as to how you shall act in the future. "From the inquiries I made, I learnt that Arthur Seldon was a potboy in a low public house in Lower Thames Street. I went to the house and saw him, but it was not necessary for me to ask any questions, for I knew the youth immediately by the striking resemblance he bears to his late father, whom I have often seen. But wishing to make my knowledge doubly sure, I found that the name of the young man whose features were so familiar to me *waa Arthur Seldon. " I have seen some of his companions, and they are, to all appearance, the lowest wretches in London, and that, you know, is saying a great deal. I have heard the young man talk, and it seems impossible for him to speak without using those obscene words so generally used by the most vulgar people here.

"If you think you can reform and make anything of him, try it, but I think the striking resemblance the youth bears to his father is sufficient evidence that reformation with him will be nearly or quite impossible. " If you wish to take any other steps in this affair, write to me, and I will assist you with pleasure. — Yours respectfully, "Luke Ferret." " Looks like his father, eh ? Curse him ! " exclaimed John Hance, throwing down the letter. " I never wish to see him, and I have been a fool for thinking anything about him. Let him live and die amongst his low com panions ! I will not try to remove him from the society to which he properly belongs. Thank God ! he does not bear the name of Hance." The old servant Margarite knew from the appearance of her master that day that some thing was wrong, and suspected the cause- She knew of the arrival of the letter from London, and believed it to be from Ferret, con veying an unfavourable account of Arthur Seldon, as she expected his letter would.

The daughter of Mr. Hance — who, by her unfortunate marriage, had incurred the dis pleasure of her father — had been a great favourite with old Margarite, who had in vain striven to produce a reconciliation between her master and his unfortunate child. Not succeeding in this, after the death of Mrs. Seldon the great object of her life was to induce Mr. Hance to acknowledge his grandson, and, as a means of accomplishing this, she had kept up an occasional correspondence with her nephew Wheeler, the grocer, who had been an acquaintance of the man Seldon, who had married Mary Hance. She had requested Wheeler to keep a watch on the boy Arthur Seldon, and ever have a knowledge of where he might be found, if wanted. This request the grocer had strictly fulfilled, and had kept Arthur, when young, for a while residing in his family, assisting in his busi ness.

In the visits Ferret had made to Mr. Hance, he had won the hatred of Margarite. She disliked his appearance, and regarded him as a rival to the son of Mary Hance, a person most dear in the old servant's memory. "That villain of a Lawyer Ferret," thought she, "has been writing lies to master about his grandson Arthur. I knows it, for master is more like hisself than usual since that letter came from London. I thought 'twould be so, for 'taint likely the villain will let master make friends with his nearest flesh and blood, and leave his money where it ought to go. But I'll spoil his plans. I'll have a letter from London, too — one as will prove the cat-faced lawyer a liar — one as will show master that Arthur Seldon is a good, honest young man, as the «on of his poor mother (Heaven bless her soul !) would be sure to be."

Margarite made no delay in the work she had on hand, but immediately sat down, and, after working hard for an hour and a half, completed a letter to her nephew, the grocer, and took it herself to the post-office.

CHAPTER IIL LUKE FERRET.

There are many men daily to be met in Chan cery Lane and in the " Temple " (so-called), near that street, who do not earn an honest living, but who, like a majority of London publicans, are living by pandering to the vices and follies of their fellow-men. We beheve there are honest lawyers, but such men will have to follow the path of honour under great difficulties. As a general rule, a man following the legal profession must aid his chent in establishing, or rather in enforcing unjust claims against others, and in escaping the payment of just claims against himself. He must use every effort to convict another of a crime, if employed to do so, even if he believes the man innocent ; and for money the whole energies of the mind and the knowledge it has acquired are often used to defeat justice and enable villains to escape the punishment they deserve.

But there are a few who are bad, even for legal gentlemen, and Mr. Luke Ferret, solicitor, whose office was at No. — , Chancery Lane, London, was one of those few. If the reader will accompany ns, we will call on Mr. Ferret on the morning he received the letter from Mr. Hance, requesting that inquiries should be made about Arthur Seldon. Entering the office, we see before us a tall, thin, pale man, about twenty-eight years of age. He is not a man whose appearance commands respect from shrewd observers of mankind, for his features give evidence ofthe possession of too much low cunning for many to think him guided in his actions by any honest, manly principle. His eyes are bloodshot and restless, in the endeavour to observe everything around him with one glance, as though he were on the constant watch for the detection of half-a dozen pickpockets.

The expression of his other features seems to show a low, cunning gratifi cation at the successful vigilance of the eyes. Mr. Ferret read the letter from Mr. Hance, and laid it down. " I thought that would come some time," he exclaimed, as the peculiar expression of his features became stronger. " He wants to find his grandson and do something for him, and wishes me to assist him. Well, that's the best thing I've found for some time. What a fool he must think I am ! The old man is losing his wits, and it is quite time he learnt something of the happiness of another world. He has been here long enough. His days will be too many to please me if he becomes acquainted with his c grandson. As sure as he meets Arthur Seldon, it is all up with me. If I assist in bringing about a meeting between them, I shall lose a fortune, as every fool should."

Mr. Ferret was not without some knowledge of Arthur Seldon. He had long had much fear that Mr. Hance would some time repent of the injustice with which he had treated his daughter, and try to atone for it by doing his duty towards her son. For many years Ferret had found no difficulty in preventing this, yet the fear that Mr. Hance would some time relent had caused him to keep a watch on young Seldon, in order that he might be prepared to avert the possibility of the old gentleman leaving his wealth to any other than himself. His fears had not been without a cause, for Mr. Hance had at last expressed the desire of learning something of the grandson he had so long neglected. The fact that the old gentle man had applied to Mr. Ferret for assistance in forming an acquaintance with his grandson was, in the opinion of the cunning solicitor, not only very fortunate, but highly amusing.

Two thousand pounds per annum and a small estate in Kent were, in the opinion of Mr. Ferret, worth making every effort to gain, and the letter be wrote to Mr. Hance concerning Arthur Seldon was dictated by a knowledge of what would b«*bt B»rve hie purpose. The statement in that letter, that Arthur Seldon resembled his father in appearance, was not without some truth ; but nothing else that he could have written would so effectually have checked the desire of Mr. Hance for forming the acquaintance of his grandson. Mr. Ferret had the reputation of possessing considerable professional talents, but all his abilities for business and the cause of his success were produced and sustained by such a display of mental faculties as can only be expressed by the word " cunning " — a word suggesting to a right-thinking mind all that is contemptible in humanity.

It was that faculty that suggested the refer ence in the letter to the late Mr. Seldon. The cunning solicitor knew that he had only to awaken in the mind of Mr. Hance the memory of Arthur's father, to arouse the most strong and bitter prejudice the strong-minded, passionate old gentleman was capable of feeling. He also knew that this passion and prejudice could not be aroused without some animosity being felt and expressed for the unknown and unoffending grandson, Arthur Seldon. Mr. Ferret was not mistaken. His letter pro duced the effect he anticipated, and he would have had no further trouble in maintaining his position as the acknowledged heir of Mr. Hance. had there not been such a person as the old servant Margarite, of whose will and power to interfere with his plane Mr. Ferret knew nothings

Chapter IV. Another Letter

The forty-six years that Margarite Hodge had been a servant to Mr. Hance had given her such a knowledge of his mental peculiarities that any communication she wished to make to him was always made under the most favourable circum stances for producing the result she desired. When she wished to obtain some great favour of Mr. Hance, and was doubtful as to whether it would be granted or not, her plan was to get the old gentleman by some means into a violent rage against herself. After his anger had become exhausted by a storm of oaths and vituperative abuse, she would make her request, and the chances were ten to one that it would be granted. On the day she received the answer to the letter written to her nephew in London, she abruptly entered the room where Mr. Hance was sitting moodily over the fire, and then for a minute 6tood silently by the door.

" Well, what do you want ? " exclaimed Hance, who had been impatiently waiting fur some communication. " I've only come to tell you," said Margarite " that your nephew Luke Ferret is a villain, and has written to you a parcel of lies about Arthur your grandson." Old Hance was immediately in a tremendous passion. " Out of the house ! Off with you ! " he ex claimed. " Do you want me to kill you ? " Seizing the fire-poker to throw at her, and swinging it back over his head in order to give force and velocity to its transit, he broke a four guinea looking-glass suspended over the fire place. Margarite disappeared, and escaped the storm of oaths and curses that raged violently for ten minutes after her departure. Half-an-hour afterwards she listened at the door, and learnt that all was quiet. The storm had subsided.

She again opened the door, in a manner attracting her master's attention, and threw into the room the letter she had received that morn ing from London. For a minute Mr. Hance stood with his eyea fixed on the letter lying on the floor beside him. " I might have known," thought he, " that old Margarite would not have said what she did without thinking she had some cause. I should have listened to her, for I believe the poor old creature means well, although she has an aggravating way of showing her good intensions. There's something up, and I must learn what it is." He picked up the letter, opened it, and read — ■ "London, December ist. "Dear Aunt, " In answer to your letter of the 29th ult., I have to state that no person has called to see me, making any inquiries respecting Arthur Seldon — at least, not lately — not within the last five years.