The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1878-11-21

profit"
The young man once more breathe'
freely.
That lie he had told at the farm
house had caused him considerable
trepidation, not because Of the lie itself
but because Of the probability Of its pre-
mature discovery.
"What is the amount of your SON,
property, present and prospective, sir ?'i
"He is, or is TO be, my equal part.
uer"
/ "But that doesn't answer my ques.
ton. 1 shall not consent at the last
moment for my daughter to become his
wife unless know exactly what she is
TO depend upon for livelihood"
Nobody questions my solvency, cir,
nobody questions it,"
but, sir, that is neither here mol
there. How much is your sons undi-
vided share in your business really
worth ,"
"Ata a rough guess, about forty thou
sand dollars"
"Can you give me any other satisfsc-
ton save the very doubtful one that
necessarily accompanies a rough guess?''
"Here, sir, are my books. Examine
them for yourself" And the senior
Snowden assumed an air of injured in
nocence as a man may whose rectitude
has been inferentislly impeached.
But Captain Emerson could not, to
use his own expression, make "head nor
tail'' Of those books. There were the blot
ter, aud journal, and ledger, it was true,
but they were kept iu Il manner that
only the interested parties could render
ineligible, and it was all in vain that
he puzzled his brain over an irrecon-
cilable trial balance. The elder Snow
den assured him that all was right, that
property to the amount of eighty thou
sand dollars, over and above all possible
liabilities, was standing to their account,
with clear annual income OF twenty
five per cent. in excess Of all expendi-
lures.
EAnA A0aF lAE EANAAAAAANhH fNAA-
antly, "what have you to offset these
accounts? ? / have dealt fairly by you,
as you can see for yourself. Are you
ready to decide as to your daughters
patrimony ?"
81 sir, am owner, in fee simple. OF
six thousand acres OF as pretty lhld as
ever laid out doors. And, If you will
give your son the clear possession and
ownership of fifteen thousand dollars,
you may take the balance of your busi-
ness, and welcome, and I'll settle upon
the children the same amount In land.
/ didn't intend TO, hang il; but old En-
erson won't let anybody beat him iu
generosity. I'll put the land at fifteen
dollars an acre, too; less than one-third
its real value; and they can either
starve or prosper after they get it, for
all o. me, for I'll never help them Ia
another dollar"
''Your offer is very fair, Captain En-
erson, I do assure you. Not that il
would make auy difference to Us, ii
you should choose to cast her of penni.
less; but it's always better for children
TO marry as equals, you know"
Glow can the business be finally set.
tied, Mr.. Snowden ?p
Easily enough, my dear sir; easily
enough. Pll draw a check on the baul
for fifteen thousand, due the day afteI
the marriage, and you can give a deeC
for the thousand acres that can bear ID,
same date"
at all seems fair enough" said th,
farmer, ''but who would you give for Sc
curity for the validity of your check p
MY dear sir, is it possible that 20,
would ask for collateral on such com
parative trifie, from met OF course
could get the names Of dozen Of on
best business men, if you insist, but
think il would hardly look well-woul,
it? It seems as though it ought to b,
considered as II 10 were all in the fam
lily already. Besides, you are not re
quired to give any bonds for the faith
ful fulfllment of yoUr contract, yol
know"
Captain Emerson felt obliged to yiel,
to the proposed conditions. Not tina
he felt satisfied, but he was silenced
And in little while, the trio were OF
their way to the brown mansion, from
which the farmer was only permitted t
emerge the next morning, when at th'
sound Of the whistle of the steamer tina
was to return with him to the capital
the future son-in-law accompanied hin
to the dock.
ITO De continued.1