A Plot that Failed. . .

Free Lance, Volume III, Issue 147, 25 April 1903, Page 17

A Plot that Failed. . .

DURING his lifetime, Donald Macplianson was tJio last person 111 the world whom the said world would luu o 01 edited with either eccentucitv or ioma,nce, yet the fact that tlieic was some strain of eccentric refinance' in his disposition was shown by Jus w ill He had been a hard-headed Scotchman, of a most piaetical and parsunoiuous kind, who had come to New Zealand with but very little money, winch, with fortunate speculation and economic living, he sptechly increased. He became a squatter, and amassed a fortune Then he came to Australia, and b\ judicious investments in station propeut\ he doubled his fortune, and died uninuurnod and uninspected worth something o\ er two hundred thousand pounds He had never felt himself nch enough to support a wife, and his only living relatives w ere a nephew in Victona. and a niece in. New Zealand, who strange to say, had never seen eacli other, nor had either of these cousins seen their wealthy uncle. Had Donald Macphairson seen, fit to die intestate his wea,lth would naturally have been divided between the cousins, Robert Caird and Jessie Macphairson, and neither ioma,nce nor trouble would have followed upon the old man's decease. But before his death, the old man made a will of that eccentric kind that is not infrequently found m novels and plays, but which rarely occurs in real life The will, evidently copied from some work of fiction, left the whole of his fortune in equal shares to his nephew and mccc, provided they married each other within one year of the testator's decease. In the event of either of his relatives refusing to wed the other the whole of the estate was to become the property of the non-refusing nephew r or mccc. In the case of a double' refusal, Donald Macphairson's thousands, were bequeathed to various Scottish, Australian, and New Zealand charities, duly named. "It is the will of a madman." said Hugh Carroll, the friend and chum of the testator's nephew "'I dare say it could be upset." "To what end?" was the reply. "That the greater portion of the money should be diverted to the pockets of the lawyers 2 No, thank you. A wife is not a great handicap upon a. large fortune, especially when I have for years been looking out for a rich wife. My fair cousin may be asi ugly as sin, but as my getting a hundred thousand pounds depends upon mv marrying her, marry her I will If she refuses — well, so much the better for me for I eret an extra hundred thousand without the handicap of a wife." "Yours will not be a romantic woornc " said Hugh Carroll. "Oh, there w 7 ill he a little romance in it," said Robert Caird, "and you, old man shall be in the secret. My cousin and her companion are coming to Melbourne, and have determined to 'ring the changes' on me, I suppose, in order to see what I am like, and to catch me off my guard." "I don't understand," said the other Robert Caird laughed as he took a letter from his pocket. "Mv cousin Jessie's companion and friend is one Minnie McMurtrie, and the two have determined to cap my uncle's farce by another. Minnie McMurtne's sister writes me a, private amd confidential letter, excusing herself for addressing a stranger, but feelinig it her duty She tells me that Jessie and Minnie propose to exchange positions for the purpose of this trip. Mv correspondent, it appears, vehemently protested a.gamst tihe deceit as wicked and when she could not prevent the plot, she wrote seoretlv to me, revealing it " "Very pretty dramatic romantic, and young-lady-like," said Hugh "And what do you propose to do in the matter may I ask p " "Pretend to 1 be hood-winked of course " said Robert Caird. "I shall, of course, make desperate love to the penniless companion and so earn a reputation, for disinterested affection besides eettine the money a.nd having the lauph at the clever, masquerading Jessie." "Capital' Capital'" cried Hugh Carroll "a case of the. biter bit " "Precisely " said Robert. Caird joining in his companion's merriment * * ♦ His laughter at his anticipated success was somewhat premature, for at that moment two young girls, passengers: to Melbourne, were standing on the deck of a New Zealand liner. "After all," said one, the real heiress, "it does not seem right to trick a poor lad like this. What happiness could be expected from a marriage which began in deceit and false pretences 9 No. Minnie, we will abandon our little plot, and have no underhand work with my cousin. We shall retain our own self-respect and our own dignity. Telling or acting lies never yet did any good."

As> .you will," cheerfully lespoaided Minnie, but we should have had more run it jou had pietendcci to be the maid, Mid let me play the hen ess." ■+ - * Aitei the aim aim Melbourne of Miss Maophaiibo.ii and hei mend, the acquaintances of Mi. Robert (Jaud came to the conclusion that they had been woluily deceived in their estimate of Ins chaiactei. He had been known as a ioi tune-hunter, yet he treated his cousin Jessie in the most cavalier mannei , and was apparently smitten with the chaams of his cousin's humble companion, Minnie McMurtrie, to w horn he paid assiduous court. "Can d is absolutely throwing away a hundred thousand pounds," said thes<? acquaintances, "and all for the sake of a pretty face. Who would ha\e expected that of hnn ?" But canny Robert C'aird m seciet "winked the other eye," and he and Ins friend laughed heartily over the little counterplot which they had arranged Hugh Carroll was not so mercenary a,s his comrade, and fell genuinely m love with Jessie Macphairson, much to Robert's amusement and delight. Jessae was not averse to Hugh, and, as Robert, appeared so devoted to Minnie, she naturally resented her cousin's neglect. StiJl Jessae had the »rudence of her nation, and did not caie to sacufice her fortune by anticipating the refusal that Robert, evidently intended sooner or later to give Occasionally w hen the four were together she would make reference to the matter but Robert, winking knowingly at Hugh, protested that love was above lucre, and bhat Minnie was the girl of his heart., whereupon Jessie allow ed heirself to drift into a.n affection for Hugh. And so matteis drifted along pleasantly for some months. "The girls keep it up w ell, don't they p " said Robert. "Yes," assented Hugh, "but I'm getting tired of waiting Minnie, or Jessie, as she calls herself, is not an heiress, and as I can suDport a w ife I've asked her to marry me but she keeps up her assumed character, and says that she will not wed until you have definitely refused her." "The little humbug," laughed Robert. "Well matters are easily arranged. I'll refuse her, and we'll persuade them both to come off with us> to the registrar's, and be married at once. There's nothing like having matters fixed. And, Hugh, old man, you'll have your pretty wife, and I'll have my heiress." The girls were nothing loth to the proposed course as soon as Robert, still with his tongue in his oheek, refused to marry Jessie, and announced his intention of givme hi® hand where he had already given his heart — to Minnie. "I wonder how long they will keep it up " said Hus:h. as the two waited at the Registrar's for their brides. "What does it matter?" cried Robert, carelessly, "even if they marry us m their assumed names the marriages will be legal enough, and as soon, as they are safely ours wei can. tell them that we knew of their plot all along, and so have the laugh upon our side." The brides apparently meant, to keep up the deception, for the wedding certificate® were made out, "Robert Caird to Minnie McMurtrie, and "Hugh Carroll to Jessie Maophairson." "That's all right," whispered Robert to Hugh, "we'll soring the surprise upon them at the breakfast." At the quiet wedding breakfast, Robert Caird, with a beaming face and a clever smile in, his little eyes, informed the brides that the game was up, and that their little plot was known — it had, in fact, been divulged months aero by the letter from Minnie's sister. In proof of his statement, he produced the eventful, the fatal letter. Both brides turned as> pale as death. Jessie appeared as if she were about to faint. Her husband ca,ught her in his arms — "Don't look like that Jess — I mean Minnie " he whispered , "you know now that I have loved you and courted you for yourself and not for your money." "I know, Hu«4i," she 'gasped "but— there's been a horrible mistake — " "A mistake?" cried Hugh and Robert in chorus. "Yes," stammered Jessie; "we did intend to change, but we thought it would not be risrht — and — and — I am Jessie Maophairson. Hugh, or rather, Jessie Carroll now." "And I am Minnie Caird, Robert," said the other bride. But Robert could not reply. He had fallen down in a faint. * # Mr. and Mrs. Carroll are rich and happy, and Robert Caird is a disappointed, snarling mam, leading his wife a wretched life, although he has an ample income, allowed to him by his cousin and her husband, as the manager of their large estate. — Melbourne "Punch."