Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1883-01-05
PHGBE'S SPECULATION.

IL WdS my uISt Cdoc VI liuIO1 ldiCt,
and I had taken it on speculation.
If l succeeded, it would not only be
feather in my cap. but neat sum
in my pocket; if ] didn't. it would be
at the cost of a deal of labor wasted
and sound legal drubbing at the
hands of Naboth Twyscott, who ap-
peared on the other side.
The fight was long and bitter, but
ended in swinging verdict for my
client.
"Will Jundle pay up, or shall | is
sue an execution?" asked Twyscott
a little jubilantly, as we left the court
room.
With the tip of his right foretinger
Twyscott pulled down his left under
eyelid, and with a tantalizing wink
inquired:
'Do you see anything green, Mr..
Craye!"
Next day he filed motion for a
new trial on forty seven several
grounds. The judge, after hearing
argument, overruled the motion
But Twyscott didn't surrender. He
appealed from court to court TIL he
reached the last: and it was not till
he had been beaten through them all,
and his last legal gun had been
spiked, that he suffered his client to
pay.
1t was too late to put the money in
the bank the day Jundle paid it over.
OF course, he had hung back till the
last minute. However, it was not a
very bulky roll, being all in thousand
dollar notes; so I just slipped it into
secret pocket of my coat, where it
would be safe till morning.
We lived, my wife and I, in snug
little cottage near the city. We had
been married not quite a year. In
fact, it was mainly on the strength OF
my expectations from 1.-The case,"
which had then reached a point at
which Twyscott was only fighting for
delay, that l had ventured to ask
Phoebe Harland to complete our
somewhat long standing engagement.
l had promised Phoebe SO many
things out of the case that l had for
gotten half of them; but there WAS
little doubt that a strict account OF
them was laid away in her own mem
ory, and I feared that the sum total
would make a large hole in my share
of the spoils.
know it was a mean thing. and /
can hardly think what put it into my
head, for l fully intended to deal
squarely by Phoebe; but on the train
hOmeward it somehow occurred to me
that there was no need of hurry in
telling her I had got the money. 1t
would do as we'll after l had settled
with my client, and knew exactly how
/ stood
Phoebe met me so lovingly, and had
such a nice little supper waiting
just the dishes she knew l liked best
and was so chatty and pleasant all
the evening. that l wonder how l
kept the guilty secret, but somehow
Idid keep it.
Twas awakened next morning by a
messenger with telegram summon
ing me ut once to town to draw MIR.
Banton's will. / hastened to catch
the early train, which l was just in
time TO do. Mr.. Banton was rich,
retired merchant whose patronage
was not to be neglected.
Instead of finding him in e.ctremis,
l was not little surprised at seeing
MIR. Banton. in dressing gown and
slippers, enjoying a hearty breakfast.
Of course, he didn't need my ser
vices. He had, in fact, been worse
scared than hurt.
1t was not till [ had reached my
Office that l noticed / had on differ
ent coat from that worn the day be
fore, which, being a little the worse
for use. Phoebe had strongly objected
to my wearing of late. More than
once she had threatened to sell 1t or
give it to the ragman. She must
have slipped another in its place the
night before, and in the hurry of my
morning toilet, l had failed to note
the change
l was little annoyed when. at a
later hour, my client. Jonas Swirl.
called to settle and get his share of
themoney. He was very suspicious
person, and when l explained the