The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1872-05-31

$50 he is, so he is," replied the dea
con. "Can't say word against him
Know him from boy. Can't forbi,
him the house, or any of that kind O
nonsense, but then he can't have Irene
Wyer."
II don't see how you'll help it, dea
con. You're only her guardian, ant
she's about of age.'
"Not for year yet-that's how tho
will reads-and she's in my own house
you know. 1 guess I can fix things,
specially if you'll turn in and help me-
You're lawyer, Joe Gaines, but you re
a young one yet, and III give you the
fattest fee you ever dreamed of if you'll
only hitch teams with me, and see that
Bob Humphrey don't get the upper
hand"
"Well, if that's what you're after, SC
it's all right and square, I'd as lief
earn fee one way as another What's
your programme! =
"Well, you know there's nigh on to
thirty thousand a coming to Irena
Wyer, in her own right, and I've took
the best kind O. keer of it. It's been
mighty sight of trouble, and all along
I've thought of my son Scott"
"scott Pilscy?' interrupted Joe.
"Why, he's in California"
"He won't be long. He's comm
home inside O. six months, and l want
to keep Irena safe for him. They used
to be wonderful thick, and he writ her
regular ever so long after he went away
and so did she to him.
DO they correspond ow?''sail joe
"No, not now. There's the rub.
That's one reason I'm looking out 50
sharp after Bob. Now, I want you to
just take holt and try and keep Bob
off till Scott gets back. 'Twont be for
long, and Irene amt such ba d compa-
ny, nohow."
II don't know" said Joe. There's
Maggie and her mother. l couldn't be
particularly attentive to Irena without
their knowing it. And Bob Humph-
rey'll be around most of the time. it
won't be long before I have the whole
village talking the matter up"
"Ncver mind that, Joe, never mind
that. It'll be all right when Scott gets
home. I'll give you the biggest kind
Of fee."
"Well, deacon" coolly replied the
young lawyer, "it's pretty tough case
but I'll take it on one condition.
"What's that?"
"Why, so long as it's only fun, and
all that, I'll go ahead, but if it seems
as if was doing any harm, anything
real bad, you know. I'm to be at liber-
ty to back OUT
"Well, l don't mind, so long as you
let me know in time"
And SO the deacon and the lawyer
discussed their plot to their satisfaction
and when all was settled the latter took
his own way down the broad and grass
grown street Of the village.
''The old shark" he muttored as he
strolled lcisurely along, "What on earth
put it into his plotting old head to pitch
on me for his tool? He never was
morean half decent to me before. l
reckon I'll earn my fee, but I'll be fair
and square with Bob Humphry. What
would Irena say if she knew what was
up? Wouldn't those black eyes of hers
strike fire -
Now, it happened that OF late, un-
known, perhaps, to the deacon, there
had been growing up more than little
closeness of intimacy between Joe
Gaines and Bob Humphrey, and it was
treachery to his friend as we'll as uu-
fairness to the pretty heiress, to which
the young lawyer had. allowed himself
to be bribed by the deacon's promised
fee.
A deep fellow was Joe Gaines, and a
marvellous manipulation of social affairs.
Again and again, as days and weeks
and months went by did Deacon Pilsey
congratulate himself on his admirable
selection, and chuckle in his inmost be-
ing as he witnessed the well contrived
success of Joe's s maneuvers. There were
picnics and drives and parties, and en-
tertainments of various kinds, hut in
vain did Bob Humphrey invite or pro-
pose; the young lawyer was sure to be
beforehand with him, and it seemed as
if sweet, unassuming quiet little Maggie