The herald and mail. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1873-188?, 1875-08-06

bacco, and Mary brought him a light.
al know that you have some gooC
news for u.s." she said, 81 can see it IL
your face"
"Not bad, my child. 1 hope ant
trust that it is very good. A gooG
name, but bad man, I said. and thai
is true. think 1 see my way out o.
this difficulty, and the money that
lent you lie safe. But you mustn't inter
fere with me, young ladies, or be sur
Frised at anything may say or do, OF
object to it. You must trust me and
let me work in my own way"
After supper, when Abner Pierce had
enjoyed another comfortable smoke,
and conversed with the girls concerning
their mother as ne had known her in
yOuth--a subject upon which he grew
| quite eloquent - Alexander Campbell
came in, bringing the deed and mort
gage, both of which he handed to MIR.
! Pierce for examination.
81 have made inquiries concerning
the property" said the old gentleman,
sand am satit fled that it is not worth
more than the amount of the mortgage,
and would probably bring much less If
sold at foreclosure. Your offer is lib
eral one but must first look at the
mortgage. This appears to be correct, "
he continued, when he had examined
the instrument. cit is properly &C
knowledged, and the signature is I'M
doubtedly that of Philip Merwin. I
suppose the young ladies will have to
go to the county seat to execute the
deed"
Thegi1Is' countenances fell at this sud-
den surrender on the part of their
champion.
"This reminds me-" said the old
lawyer, picking up the mortgage again,
''Of an occurrence that fell under nv
observation in Tennessee. Not that
the two cases are alike, as the Tennessee
casewas undoubtedly fraudulent affair;
but there were a similarity of circum.
stances. Don't look so doWnhearted,
young ladies. What will be must be.
and it is useless to cry about what can't
be helped. As l was about to say, a
man died in Tennessee. leaving q widow
and one daughter. The widow was
about TO administer upon his estate,
when a man, who was known, came for
ward and presented a mortgage similar
to this, and for exactly the same amount.
1t was examined by lawyers who were
familiar with the signature. of the
deceased, and pronounced correct. Al
though there was something strange
about the affair, they could find no flaw
IN the instrument. 1t was particularly
puzzllng to one of them, who thought
that he had transacted all the law bust
ness of the deceased. He got hold of
the mortgage and brought it to me when
| was III Nashville. l happened to have
IN my possession a very powerful mag
nlfylng glass that had been presented to
me-the most powerful single lepse |
have ever seen. With this I examined
the mortgage and soon discovered that
forty had been raised from 'four.
There was no mistake about it. could
easily see the marks of chemical erasure.
and The difference in pen and ink be-
tween the raised and the rest of the
instrument. How the rascal got into
the registers office / don't know; but
the record there had been altered in the
same manner. He ran away, and it was
not considered worth while to follow
him. Strange circumstance, wasn't it,
Mr.. Campbell ?"
MIR. Campbell was fdgeting uneaslly
IN his chair and made no reply.
Here is the glass, continued the old
gentleman, taking it from his pocket,
"and you can see for yourself how we'll
1t Ilagnlfes. Now, as 1 look at this
forty why, bless me, the same signs
are visible that L saw in my Tennessee
mortgage! l think you will be obliged
to drop this, Mr.. Campbell. Ny Ten
nessee mans name was Alexander Bell,
and he has added a camp to it since he
came to Missouri"
Campbell, his face as red as flame.
reached out his hand for the document,
81 believe will keep this, Mr.. Camp
bell, for fear of accidents. Why. do
you think you could take it by force d?
Here is something that shoots five
times. Going, are You? Very well, /
don't think you will be mOlested if You
leave this part of the country and rever
return to it. 1T barely possible that
the estate of Philip Merwin NAV owe
four thousand dollars. If so, I advise
yOu not to try to collect the debt, as
such an attempt would land you in the
penitentiary. Goodnight, Mr.. Camp
bell, and farewell"
What was it? What does this
mean ?" asked Clara, as Mr.. Pierce.
rubbing his hands and smiling, hustle
about to fill the pipe.
Are You 80 dull, my child? WHY,
the fellow is swindler, and has been
found ont. l guessed as much when
heard of the affair, and was sure of it
when you told me his name. You will
soon be able to pay me 5000, and then
we will straighten up matters. Thank
you, Mary, you are very kind to give
me light" --...
Don't You mean to punish him ?"
asked Mary. a-~.=
cit would hardly pay. We could
put him in the penitentiary. but Won
might lose four thousand dollars by The
job. BY trying for forty thousand he
has lost the four that may have been
justly his. He will be far from here by
morning, have no doubt, and good
radiance to him. All this is comforta-
bic. L know that l feel better, and
l hope that you do"
The girls were sure that a great
weight had been lifted from their minds
and hearts. Alex lnder Campbell alias
Bell decamped, and Abner Pierce stayed
week With the orphans, during which
time he arranged all their affairs salts
factorily. and won their lasting graft
tude and love.
How can we ever thank you for all
you have done for us?' said Clara, when
he was to leave.
" 1t was for your mothers sake, my
child. And for her sake, if I can ever
help you, all have is at your service"
Abner Pierce has made visits to the
orphans frequently since the event mar
rated, and they have always had cor
dial welcome fer mas old beau"