The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1883-11-30
A PLOT FOR A FORTUNE.

fsMel, doctor, what'At the verdict. Am I con-
uemned to death, or are you going to reprisye
mc!n
y think can reprieve you. But 1 can't
promise to do more"
4 never expected il. l know M state quito
as well as you-I haven't a years life in me.
NOW don't begin to talk the usual rubbish YOU
onght to know inc we'll enough by this time.
Gan You give me six nlonths?" =Rs. r
"Notin England. a,A s44
"Wherasn
somewhere in the South-say Nice or
Games. Nice bv preference.'
al right. Nee by all means. When can J
~trayei9" ss= tDss
early next week, if YOU rest the remainder
Of this" e
Mr.. Fletcher gave 4 dissatisfied grunt as he
'urnedi himself in his bed. "a "a ia.
"L'ok here, Maitland" he said, whom he
mad soltled himself into n new position; s"if
You think'thst at my time of hfe I'm going to
sad about fnreisa countries by myself you're
mistaken. iuuii have to come with me-"
Inc doctor sinltd; he was pleasantly sur
prlsed t. hear his pa lent make the suggestion,
but he did not wish hlm to see how ~gratifed he
was.
mn Ss sss 70 hesome Of my practice moan
"'Oh, your practice must take care of itself;
look upon this Journey as! 8 holiday taken
rather earlier tan usual. See me safely to
NICE, put me into the hands Of II good doctor
there, and then you can leave mo to eud my
Gays IN peace. l think you will 60 that for
three hundred and, xpenscs?" >
II would doitfor Less" was Maitland's re-
Il don't want you to. I'm rich enough, as
you well know, to pay well for what people do
Tor me. What do You suppose l want 10 keep
my money for? Ican't take it with me, canJ,
Not beyond Nice replied the young doctor.
using the freedom which this eccentric patron
liked
Good, and I shan't want much there; |
can't make much Of a hole in my property in
sx mouths, however hard l Try; though ! be-
lieye that young SCAMP OF a nephew OF mine
WILL Srudge N. NV daily drive"
Maitland WAS sileut; it WAS not his place to
foster the breach between uncle and nephew,
whatever bis pr waite opinion of Fred Dexter's
character misht be.
You have IA father, haven't YOU" ashcd the
old gent n, after q pause.
Yes; he IL stifl living" pr"
"lhen t cat Inn better than my son treated
me; lsGwillS make HIM happier, il it doesn't
make you"
81 wish youswnuld let me speak to you about
your sou, " said Maitland.
'Thank YOU; I'd sooner hear you on any
other subject"
81 don't often trouble Won with this one." m
NO: or | should change mvsdoc.or." "
'iun have douo him iajnssice, at AL events"
said Matt and rather warmly, and l tbink you
Will ave to repent it."
In that case you must make me live longer
than you profess to be able to do" retortel
tho Invalid. Don't renew the subject, please,
III! * you. Come IN tomorrow and we will
make hnal arrangement. about the journey
Matt and Knew Mr.. Fletcher ultimately
enough to know that the interview was over.
He left the room and proceeded on his round
OF afternoon visit4, reaching his small house
about an hour before dinner.
a letter WAS waiting for him. 1t WAS d.
recled in a iady's hand and bore the pos,mayk
OF Nice. He read 1t through twice. apparently
enjoying the perusal; then ho lay back in his
char ard tnought.
"Its a stroke of good fortune, most decided
ly," he soil oquzod Amy ia al Nice, and
now | shall be abie to 80 and see her. That
viii be a Pleasant surprise for her, / hope.
Pm afraid she doesn't get 100 many Of them.
Luckily Dir Fletcher will never CUES. the rea-
son OF my recommending Nice; after all, i, ls
just as good for him as any other place. and l
may bs dong him II greater service than he
dreams of in taking him there. if things fall
out as they should"
In the midst Of this reverie the servan: en-
tered, bringing him another letter.
"Please, sir, this came this morning, but
you don't seam to have seen it."
Maiilaud opened it, not with tho ala Gritty he
had shown with the first. 1t ran thus:
DEAR MAIrLAND-How is the old boy? This
question will SAVIOR of nepotic affection or inter-
estcd selfshness: You may take your own meaning.
l ask because l am among the sharks again, and
until / can pnclfy them witha feed on my uncle.s
accumu lati0ns, they care insatiabie. l want to
know, as a matter OF business, how long he is likely
to liuger on tho Garth II he has made a will in my
favor. as he kEcws very well l shall no; be sorry 10
get it proved. Why should l hesitate to own as
meet? Could you lend me fifty TIL the time comes?
Charge 30 per cent if you like. Tell me the truth
abou, my uncle; l eau bear it even if YOU give
hia, five years longer. l Shall bear it e,iil better If
you condne nm TO five months. Yours,
"Heartless brutal thought Maitland, on fin
ishiDg, ''thoueh certainly he never mikes a
pre,ense Of be ny anything else. It's fortunate
for him tlat his uncle knows 80 little about
hin, or his chances Of succession would DO
cons, de-ably% tnaker."
HoscfibiNc | q note in reply to tho letter,
simply informing Dexter of ,hls uncle's intend
ed Journey andESof hiss stale of health. He
omitted to give any opinion as to the probable
length OF h is tenure of life.
DR.. Maitland was still a young man in his
profession, though he was thirty-four years of
age. He had entered it late. His prospects
were fairly good, but hitherto his practice had
been restricted. In a country town it takes
time fora new, man to make q position, as
every family or standmg already possess a
medical nan and is unwilling to change. How
eyer,s be did no tdespair of getting on. He had
eNtlN tSoso" " 49, w Nv ~ v Az ""S
desirous of getting married. H. was not yet
even engaged; he chad secret reasons for not
proposing at present to the girl he loved.
Whether he would ever be i Ia position to do
30 was more than he could as get foresee.
MI Fletcher had been his patient during the
last five years-in fact ever since he began
practice. This was partly because he had
auarreled with all the othersnledical men of
the town, bu. chiefly for a reason that he
would never own. This was that Maitland had
l,oor n prapt frian1 Hmanv vaa ra bafoya nF bju
only ron Charlie.
Charlesa Fletcher WAS ofsa. very different
stamp from his father. Tho latter was, as a
rule, selfish aud arrosant-dsligept in business
and economical in habits. He had bred his
son up in his own footsteps, but had found
that he could not mould his character as he
wished. Charlie was Inclined to extravaganza,
held the opinion that money was of no use I'M
less spent. thought that li4fshould be valued
for it's opportunities Of pleasure rather than
his fathers lifelong maxim.. Quarrel fol-
lowed QUARREL; the fact that he loved his son
DO well only made the father moro bitterly re-
sent tue want Of affection and respect with
which he was treated. till one day the crisis
arrived. -" q
MIR. Fletcher had determined that his son
should marry early, hoping by this means to
make him settle down.. He informed him of
his wishes Accordingly. pointing out that he in
landed to rnake,his future prospects depend on
the propriety OF his selection. Charlie post
poned the matter as long as possible, until at
last a confession became inevitable. He was
married already,
This pu. . stop to al, hope Of reconciliation
There was a violent scene, during which the
father refused to recognize the marriage, aud
told hs son he must shift for himself. This
Charlie said no was qnIte ready 10 do, and that
his fsther need not fear any application for
assistance from him If money made men be-
have like his father, the less he had Of it the
better.
wear afterward Charles Fletcher died in
Paris. His father refused even to make in
quiry as to his wife: but was Informed shortly
afterward of Ler death, also, by u paper sent to