The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1879-12-26
THE MISSING DEED.
And a Valuable Pot of Jam.


THREE HUNDRED ToUNDs REWARD
Il LOST, a parchment document, being an. in
denture of mortgage, dated the nth day of Feb
ruary, 1915, and made between Henry Fortress OF
the first part Ralph Howard and Frederick Poi
lock of the second part, William Henry Austir
and Emily Austin, his wife of the third part, and
Thomas Burt and sydney Forrest Dysart of the
ofce Of Messrs sharpe Floyd. solicitors, Of So S'e
" Bedford row, shall receive the above reward
"No, Mr.. Morpeth; I am sorry to
say, 10 news whatever"
The speaker was Mr.. Sharpe, the sem
ior partner of the firm of Sharpe 81
Floyd, whose advertisement as above,
had appeared at intervals in all the
leading newspapers during nearly six
months prior to the date of our story.
Mr.. Sharpe was seated in his special
sanctum, to which none but the more
important clients of the firm were ad-
mitted. On the opposite side of the ta-
bic sat middle aged gentleman, whose
look OF eager anxiety and nervous haste
was in striking contrast to the placid
self-possession of his solicitor. Mr..
Morpeth's impatience scarcely gave him
time to remove his hat or gloves before
he broke ont with the anxious question,
"Well, Mr.. Sharpe, any news of the
missing deed?" and received the reply
above quoted.
"But, good heavens! my dear sir, In
another fortnight the cause comes on
for hearing! What OH earth is to be
JoneY'
"We can apply for an adjournment
II you like; but, of course, it is only
putting off the evil day. You know my
opinion about the matter"
"That the deed is no longer in exist
ence? can't Il won't believe it. AT
any rate, let us make another trial. L
would willingly give thousand if it
could only be recovered"
"Quite hopeless, my dear sir. You
have already increased the reward from
tlOO to t3OO. IL the deed was still in
existence the holder would have been
only too glad to restore it for fifth
part of such reward. You may make
up your mind that it has been DESTROYED.
either purpOsely or accidentally; | can
not say which, and don't like to con-
lecture; but III any case you may rest
assured that the reason it is not produc-
cd is, that it is beyond production; in
fact, that it no longer exists
at is all very well for you to talk in
that philosophical manner; but how on
earth are we to prove the ecaselwthoutit?-
cit will be uphill work, | grant
but, as our leader, Mr.. Brass, told YOU
in consultation last week, the case is bv
no means hopeless. The deed being
lost, and no copy in existence, parole |
evidence will he admissible. The diff
Guilty i (and it is no use mincing the |
marter), the evidence in question will
be exclusively that of ofinterested parties;
l,a In
that is mt stake, that is point the o,her
SIDE VIII naturally make the most Of"
"No doubt they will; that is just
what drives me frantic. and you talk of
1t as calmly as if you were discussing
lhe telephone, or the last new planet.
know and you know, that my cause
Is Just and right. To think that | and
my poor wife, the very soul of honor,
should have to stand up on the witness
box and be insulted with insinuatons
that we are swearing falsely for the
sake Of few thousands. Good God!
it makes my blood boil to think of it.
feel almost inclined to say that | will
give mp the whole thing rather than face
such horrible ordeal.'
''Nay, my dear sir" said Mr.. Sharpe.
alarmed at the threatened collapse OF a
promising litigation, "that would never
do. To give i'll at this stage would be
tantamount TO all admission, with most
people, at any rate, that you had no
case al along. No, no; you must try
The fortune of war. The first struggle
will not be final in any case. Ifyou
are beaten, of course you will carry the
case TO the Court of Appeals; and |
know the other side intends to do so, if
we are fortunate enough to get the
best of it,
"a second chapter of torture groan-
ed Mr.. Morpeth 81 really believe it
will almost kill my wife. tell you
what, Mr.. Sharpe, at any rate we will
make one more effort. Put in the adj
vertisement again-every day until the
trial comes off and make the reward $500.
Mr.. Sharpe shrugged his shoulders.
at won't make any difference, You
may rest assured but as the reward is
not at all likely to he claimed, it does
not matter whether You offer three
hundred or five
He touched the bell and took up the
Times which lay upon the table. A
smart young fellow entered in answer
to his summons, aud he continued,
handing him the paper:
"Ilerc Halliday, copy this advertise
ment again, but making the reward
$500 instead of three; and then take it
round to the advertising agent and ask
him TO insert it in all the dailies for the
next fortnight. Wen try the expert
ment at any rate, Mr.. Morpeth; but |
am afraid ! cannot encourage you to
hope much from the result"
''It is forlorn hope, Mr.. Sharpe,
do admit, but won't lose even shad-
ow Of a chance if can help it. If it
only brings back the deed, shall re-
gard my $500 as extremely well invest
ed, can assure you"