The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1873-09-24

He had money in the bank, railroad stock,
mortgages, etc, and everything was settled
up to the satisfaction of the relict and the
fatherless. f4s
About year before his death, being pinchetl
for money and not wishing to sell anything
at a sacrifice, Preston had given mortgage
on hts farm for three Thousand dollars. While
the papers read ssfor one year from date, y
there was verbal agreement that it should be
lifted any day when Preston desired. A
month AFTER when, having the funds to clear
off the paper, the old noney-bags holding it
refused to disgorge, wishing to secure his in
terest for year. sea
was on my way to ascertain the date of
expiration. A fire among our Office papers
had destroyed the memoranda, and ! must go
down and get the date from old Scip, who
lives south Of Grafton about five miles. The
stranger had pumped all this out of me in ten
minutes, and yet never once suspected that
heswas receiving amy information. 81 sasf 4 d
g am not positive, indeed, " but am
pretty sure that the time is the thirteenth,
which would be Tuesday next"
And then your folks will send down the
money and discharge the mortgage, . Of
couises 2 he required - Is - g IS e.
ooh, yes, / shall most likely bring it
down. replied and it never occurred to me
how imprudent | was.
He then turned the conversation into other
channels, and did not once attempt to pump
me further We got to Grafton at 1880, and
to my great. surprise he announced that he
was to stop in the town on business for q few
days. Ihad not asked his name or avocation,
while he knew everything about me.
We went to the hotel, had dinner, and then
! secured livery team and drove out, get
ting through with business, SO that was
back to take the SEQ express cast. My friend
was on the porch ofthe hotel as l drove up,
carrying that same honest, digniicd face.
"Well, did you find out?" he inquired, in
his pleasant way.
Yes; it is on the thirteenth, as / expec.
ted replied es ST.
We had lunch together and whenwe shook
hands and parted, had no more idea of ever
meeting him again than / have of knowing
you. In fact, he told me that he should sail
for England within week or ten days. and
should not return to America. At parting, he
gave me his card 1t was modest piece of
pastcboard, and bore the name of George
Raleigh in old English script.
Everything at the office went on as usual,
and the thirteenth came at length. Law &
Law had arranged for me to go down with
the money, and looked upon it as a business
of no special importance.
"We know you are all right" remarked
the senior partner, as | was about to go !;
"but | want to give you word of warning,
nevertheless. Don't take any stranger into
your confidence until you have passed out the
money, and look out who sits next to you"
1t was something new for him to caution
me, and could not but wonder at it /; but in
the hustle of getting aboard the train, forgot
what he had said. Ordinary prudence had in
duced me to place the money, which was all
in bank bills and divided in three packages,
under my shirt and next my skin, where the
deft hand of q pckpocket could not reach it.
Interested in a newspaper, time flew by, as
the train flew West, and at length the hoarse
voice of the brakesman warned me that had
reached Grafton. l had leaped down and was
making for the livery stable, when heard
familiar voice, and looked up to see Raleigh.
He was seated in buggy, and had seemingly
waited for me to come up.
"Don't express any surprise" he began, as
stopped at the wheel. 81 did intend to 90
away, but changed my mind, and like this
section so well thatI am going out to-day to
look at a farm, with q view of purchasing.
Come, ride up to the hotel. 3.
We rode up, ordered lunch, and while we
were discussing it, Mr.. Raleigh discovered
that the farm he was going to see was just
beyond that of Old Grips.
"Iow fortunate | could ride out with
him, see the farm, and return in his COM
pany,, and he would be greatly pleased.
was also pleased. If any onehad told me,
as we got into the buggy, that George Raleigh
meant to return with my money in his pocket
and my blood upon his hands, i should have
believed him lunatic. And yet George
Raleigh had planned to do that very thing.
1t was lovely day in June, and the cool
breeze and the sight of medows and green
groves made my heart grow larger. Ny COM
panion was very tllkatiye but he didn't even
hint at my errand. He talked as far away as
he could.
oh . excuse me ~ he exclaimed, after
we had passed mile beyond the village, and
were among the farm houses. az should
have offered you this before" s.
lie drew from his pocket small flask of
wine and handed it to me. Now, was tenn
perate in regard to drinks. In fact / detcsted
the sight and smell of anything Intoxicating.
But had not the moral courage to tell him
so, and to hand back the flask undisturbed.
feared to offend him, and so | drank, per-
haps, three good swallows. He called my at
tention to the woods on the left, as he receiv-
ed back the flask, and when / looked around
again he was just removing it from his mouth,
as if he drank heartily.
In about five minutes began to feel queer.
The fences along the road seemed to grow
higher and the trees to grow larger some