The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1872-06-13
THE DEACON'S PLOT.

go about as he wanted them to. Not an
oyerbearing man by any means, ard GER
tainly not violent one, but with wonder
fully cute and quiet and subtle ways of
his own, by which he brought matters
about without letting other folks know
how the thing was done. When a man
is accustomed to have his own way, he
makes up his mind pretty easily; but
there was one point of all others upon
which Deacon Pilsey had been set and
fixed for years, and the care Of which lay
heavy on his mind, for the time had
come when, in his judgment, something
leep required to be planned and all his
skill exercised IN carrying it out. 10
mind like his, that had taken perfect
measure Of every other In the village,
and for miles around it, there could be
little difficulty in selecting his tools and
assistants, and he had no need of coun-
sellers. That was how he came to be
talking so confdentially with Joe Gaines,
as the two stood by the yard-gate.
"Why, Deacon" said Joe, II always
thought you liked Bob Humphrey. He's
tiptop fellow, and good match for any
girl | know Of.
80 he IS, so he is, replied the deacon.
Cant say word agin him. Know him
from boy. Can't forbid him the house,
or any of that sort Of nonsense but,
then. he can't have Irene Wyer.''
Il don't see how you Il help it, deacon
You re only her guardian, and she is
about Of age
Not for year yet-that's how the
will reads-and she's in my own house,
you know. | guess can fix some things,
specially if you'll turn in and help me.
You re lawyer, Joe Gaines, but you re
young one yet, and I'll give you the fat
test fee you ever dreamed off you II on
~ hitch teams with me, and see that Bob
Humphrey don't get the upper hand. !"
well, if that's what your after, so
it's all right and square, I'd as lief earn
fee one way as another. What s your
programme 2"
"Well, you know theirs nigh onto
thirty thousand coming to Irene Wyer,
in her own right, and I've took the best
kind O keer of it. It's been a mighty
sight Of trouble, and all along L We thought
of my son Scott
"Scott Pilsey ?'' 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
Irene safe for him. They used to be
wonderful thick, and he writ 20 her regu-,
lar ever so long after he went away, and
SO did she to him."
''Do they correspond now p said Joe.
s'No, not now. There's the rub.
That's one reason I'm looking out so
sharp arter Bob. Now, l want you. to
just take hold and try and keep Bob off
till Scott gets back. 'Twon't be for long,
and Irene ain tsuch bad company, nohow.'
II don't know" said Joe. There's
Maggie and her mother. I couldn't be
particularly attentive to Irene without
their knowing it. And Bob HUMPHREY II
be sure to be around most of the time,
and it won't be long before I have the
whole village talking the matter up"
Never mind that, Joe, never mind
that. It'll be ali right when Scott GETS
home. I'll give you the biggest kind of
a fee"
"Well, deacon" coolly replied the
young lawyer, IT'S pretty tough case,
but | Il 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 fl
was doing any harm, anything real bad,
you know, I'm to be at liberty to back
out.
well, I don't mind, so long as you
let me know in time"
And so the deacon and the lawyer dis
cussed 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.
Tho old shark |" lie mutters, as he
ssrolled leisurely on. "What on earth
put it into his plotting old head to pitch
on me for his tool T? He never was more n
half decent to me before [ reckon I'll
earn my fee, but I'll be fair and square
with Bob Humphrey. What would Irene
say II she knew what was up? Wouldn't
those black eyes Of hers strike fire p
Now, 1t 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 thus it was
treachery to his friend as well as unfair
ness to the pretty heiress, to which the
young lawyer had allowed himself to be
brlbed by the deacon's promised fee.
\ 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 Pilsev con-
graduate himself on his admirable selec-
ton, and chuckle in his Utmost helm, &c
he witnessed the well-contrived success of
Jee $ noneuvres. There were picnics
aud drives and parties. and entertainments
OF various kinds, but in vain did Bob
humphrey invite or propose, the young
lawyer was sure to be beforehand with
hum, and 1t almost seemed as if sweet
unassumIng' quiet little Maggie Pilsey
herself, the deacon's daughter, had Join
ed the secret league against her friend
Irene, so often was some excuse devised
by which she was made to annear In IL,