Weekly Chillicothe crisis. (Chillicothe, Livingston Co., Mo.) 1878-19??, 1883-08-02

sc'-a Dlu Oh masqueraulng, N
thought. "Can this dainty, exquisit,
creature be the little tiger-cat of whom
my father spoke?n
"Aloud, he said, introductorily:
81 am Raymond Searlc. My fathe
wished me TO call and deliver mes
sage from him to Mr.. and Mis-
Wyldcr.n
As he uttered the words the langh
ing eyes grew stern and flashing, th,
slender young figure rcareditself state
licr.
81 am Miss Wyldcr," said the sweet
naughty voice.
And without any apology for hci
dress she led the way to an inner room
where her brother, We're Wyldcr, la,
upon couch drawn beside Il sunny
window.
She explained briefly to him, an,
maiestically motioning their visitor Il
n seat, remained standing herself be
side her brothers couch.
Raymond Searlc, 1attcrcd darling O
society as ho was, had never been Sc
near overwhelming embarrassment il
his life.
Anything so lovely as this slender
tall, stately young creature, in hen
bravery of silk, and lace, and gemmeL
attire, he had never seen; and the in.
valid brother looked like stricken
eagle.
They both made him think of what
his father had said about the way the
Wylders had fought his claim.
"Well, sir" said Reda, loftily, "wC
will hear your fathers message. My
brother is not strong enough for many
words, so you will please address your.
self to me"
For the first time Raymond SearlC
felt all the ungracious and ungraccful
disagrecablcness of the crrand on
which he had come.
He bluShed, he hcSitatcd, he sat
overwhelmed with confusion. Finally
he said, desperately:
"You know why | have come.
wish now | had not.n
"Iou said you had message from
your father?" questioned Reda, haugh-
tily.
81 prefer not to deliver it now," he
answered.
"You do not need. We, my brother
and myself can well imagine that it is
only some new threat to compel us to
abandon our homc--our legal and right
tul home-in spite of that decision OF
an unjust court which pronounced
OthcrwiSC!"
Raymond bit his lip.
"ln justice TO my father Them he
said, 81 must tell you that his message
was no threat. He wished me TO ask
you when it would be convenient to
give him possession of Wylder's Rock?"
"Neyerl' rang like u hugle note
from Reda's quivoring lips. "Go back
TO your father and say that to him.
Say that we will die first. We will die
here resisting. He shall never have
Wylder's Rock while we live!"
Raymond Searle rose from his seat,
bent his head tremendously to her,
bowed low to the brother, in whose
eagle glance the same flame leaped as
in hers, and went silently from the
room.
81 think ho meant to be Courteous ~
said We're Wyldcr, when he had gone.
81 hOpew were not rude
81 hope not" said Roda, a swift
change coming over the sweet, spirited
face. "llo is not to blame. His father
has not told him all the story, or he
would not have come. | could see
that. liked his looks-did not you,
Verepn
"Yes, | liked him." murmured We're.
ale would scOrn to do such basencss
as his father is guilty of, | believe"
81 think he would" We're answered,
and lay gazing wistfully at his sister in
her radient young loveliuess.
He was thinking how uncertain his
life was-how poor one at best. He
could but say to himself:
"Ah, if kind heaven could but send
hera protector, who was us strong and
true q gentleman rs he looked who has
just gone!"
Raymond went back to his father
with n troubled face.
"Sir," said he, abruptly, yetwiLh the
profound respect he always used TO-
ward him, "you did not tell me all the
particulars of this Wylder casop"
Philip Searlo redeemed. He would
have chosen not TO tell his son more
than he had, but if he must, he was
ready. What ground had the Wyl-
ders for opposing his claim. Why,
1t was Raymond's grandfather who
loaned the money to Guy Wylder, and
took mortgage on the Rock. He and
Wyldor were old and close friends.
Wylder claimed that he paid the money
the very day he, old Raymond Searle,
was stricken with the mortal illness of
which he died before tho following
Scarlo could rot at the mo-
mont put his hand upon the mortgage;
he was n VIGOROUSLY careless man with
his papers. Both men were easy ma
Iured and they trusted each other i'm
plicitly. Searle was not feeling well,
md it was agreed that Wylder should
come again the following day and finish
up the business.
That day never dawned for old Ray
nond Searle, and the mortgage never
turned up till years afterward.
This was the truth of the matter,
out this was not exactly the way the
'ather told it TO his son.
The money could not have been paid, |
40 insisted. 1t was all nonsense about
.ho mortgage having been mislaid.
Tho pair were close friends, true,
md so old Raymond never pushed IL.
But then twas in black and white, and
,nly the single word of Guy Wylder to
how that it had been paid off N
Young Raymond listened, and grew
.raver and graver. He believed that the
Nylders had the right on their side,
md that the money had been paid as