Whenever the principal maker of any note, bond, bill or other written instrument dies, if the creditor does not, within 6 months after the entry of the original order directing issuance of letters of office, present the same to the representative or the proper court for allowance, the sureties thereon shall be released from the payment thereof to the extent that the same might have been collected of such estate if presented in proper time; but this Section shall not be construed to prevent the holder of any such instrument from proceeding against the sureties within such 6 months.