Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1857-1865, 1858-04-02
CHAPTER XVII.


GEORGE WILLIAMS, the brother of Mrs.
Fillmore, and portly bachelor of about
ffty, sat at small table, bottle and
glasses occupying the centre, and opposite
to him, was lawyer Grip--a squint-eyed,
freckled face, sandy haired, ugly specimen
of humanity. The house was large, COM
modious and handsomely finished for that
day of comparatively primitive simplicity.
II tell you what it is, Grip" said Will
liams, "this Internal suit must be brought
TO settlement. believe that, as the doc
tors make their patients sick, to leng then
their bills, you lawyers postpone and con-
tinue to multiply your fees and the costs.
Delay, too is dangerous, Old Judge
Wilmer is straining every nerve to prove
my sisters marriage and should he get
on the right, track am used up man."
Grip seemed utterly indifferent until
the close of the sentence, when grin dis
torted his ugly yisage, and CLEAN of
triumph lighted up his eyes. Williams
marked it, but his obtusc intellect OWNED
not the cause, aud with toss of his head,
he exclaimed w hat now, Gripr'
"Mr. Williams" said Grip. with an air
of offended honor, 'you have not treated
me we'll in this matter. have been con-
ducting your case with all the energy that
an honest man should display for his eli
ent, and under the full belief that your
case is founded in law and justice and
now, you tell me that you are a ruined man
ifJudge Wilmer gets on the right track. :"
"Oh, l didn mean that Grip-you mis-
take me, my dear fellow | only meant that
should bo ruined ifit should occur to
him to bribe some one to swear to the
marriage"
That's it, is it But suppose, Mr..
Williams, he we're to get some one to ex-
anime the records at Baton Rouge
wouldn't that do as well?''
What DO you mean, Grip2 What re.
cords are you talking about2"
"Hark ye, Mr.. Williams, it is time we
were speaking plainly to each other. lam
a scoundrel, and you are another-nay,
no bristling up, that game wont win with
me. You brought this suit as a specula-
tion--yessir, speculation on your sister s
honor and her rights l undertook it as a
speculation, and d-n me, if don't make
the mos, Of it, have known of the record
all along, and have kept it back as last
trump--now am going to play it, and if
it don't take the trick am mistaken"
Explain yourself, exclaimed Williams
blowing like porpus. "You speak in
riddles, tonight; and hang me if see into
yonr hand. Speak out, and let me know
what you are up tOl"
"Woll, sir I'll be plain enough. l con-
slider the record ofyour sisters marriage
worth just ten thousand dollars to me, and
ifyou don't think so, I'll just try another
market"
"Isn Thousand dollars, Grip Why you
are derangedl The whole estate wouldn't
bring more than the double of that"
~ am not fool, Williams. The estate
is worth one hundred and twenty thousand
clear of all membranes, and if you are
not willing to pay ten thousand for it, /
will see what Judge Wilmer will give"
'No, no that will never do, and l make
you this offer ifyou will destroy that
record aud bind yourself in writing, never
to disclose your knowledge that it ever
existed, you shall have the ten thousand
dollars, though it is big price to pay"
s"There's no use otany writings Williams
for they wouldn't bind either of US if in,
terest required us to Disregard them, and
besides, they might fall into other hands
and betray the secret you want to keep
Ny word l will give you, aud II is as gooC
as my bond in sucha case" he added with
grin.