The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1885-03-21

| all that money, and l said so. We talked
the matter over and at length concluded
| that he must have gained it away. The
| deed was odd, for various reasons, as you
| shall see presently, and | suspected some
thing wrong about the transaction, though
| what it was | could not penetrate.
The next day l met Miss Trescott IN the
street and she accosted me.
"Mr. Bonsall," she said, 81 was about to
| send for you. Mr.. Grover, you know, was
papa's lawyer. He is out of town, and will
| not return for several weeks. | must have
| counsel. 1t is about that deed which Mr.
| Cuyp has for the Four Section Purchase"
Have you seen the deed itself, Miss
| Trescott?"
eyes, sir I have been at the Clerks Of
fee, and Mr.. Parsons was kind enough to
let me examine it. 1t has papa's signature
| Or such a forgery of it as is impossible to
| detect; but there is some fraud about it,
| Papa told me, on his death bed, too, that
| there was nothing on the property; it was
Free and it was mine. And he left it to
| me by name in his will, and his will not
month made. Mr.. Cuyp came to see me
| this morning."
"What did he say?"
so, he assumed kindness; said he was
sorry, and was not disposed to Cypress
| me, and was quite willing | should remain
| on the place a year without rent. That
looks suspicious; for it is not like him.
What am | to say?'
"Say nothing at present. Do you wish
me to act for your"
''If you please"
"Well then, if Mr.. Cuyp speaks to you
| again. send him to me. Do nothing, as
well as say nothing, meanwhile, without
my advice | shall look into the affair at
once. Has your father-I have a reason
for asking-left much ready money!"
mo, sir; only q little over nine hundred
dollars That is what strikes me as singu-
/ L., Il. / 4 II
this year, | am confident. 1t is terrible,
this thing"
Don't distress yourself, pray. You are
| in possession, at all events. Excuse me,
but it is just possible that your father may
| have been-that is, they may have got him
to sign when he was not quite himself"
so, no, Mr.. Bonsal. Papa was some
times little oyertaken by wine after
dinner; but then his writing would have
shown that. That signature was made-if
he did make it-when he was perfectly
sober"
81 agree with you there, Miss Prescott;
but do not say so to any one else. If any
one suggests he was intoxicated when he
signed it,be particular to express no doubt.
In fact, say nothing at all on the subject.
Refer all to me-"
Very good, sir; shall obey your direc-
tons"
We then parted. I could not see my way
very Cled III Une case, DuU IL was worth
lighting. Still thinking upon it, | walked
over to the postoffice, which was kept in
one of the village shops, or country store,
to get my letters and papers. The shop
Keeper, Peter Brown, was alone, his ckrk
being at dinner. He handed me a letter,
which read, and then began to chat with
him. There was a paper covered book,
used for making charges, a loose bIotter,
lying on the counter. Mechanically |
opened and shut it, when the paper in it
attracted my attention.
MAY asl; where you got this book"
inquired.
so, that is of my own make" he said,
and then told me how he acquired the
paper.
opened the book again, and turned to
the last page.
This has only forty-six pages" I said.
Zone less than aquire."
"Y GU noticed that" he replied smiling
81 can tell you how that occurred" And
he did.
When he had concluded said; ''Brown,
you can do me favor. You have no par
ticular friendship for Ben Cuyp, have
you?"
"Cuyp. the old Hunks? No; Why"
81 wish you would go over to the Clerks
Office and get Parsons to let YOU look at
the Prescott deed for the Four Section Pur-
chase. know you're not leaky vessel,
and can keep a thing to yourself. Now,
no matter what may strike you when you
examine that deed-and something 3cW
strike you-say nothing about it to Par
sons, or to any one, but come over to my
office as soon as you are through"
81 don't see what you're after: but III
do it as soon as Bill comes from his din
ner."
l went over to my Office, and sat there
waiting for Brown, who Came in after a
half hour. The moment he saw me he
TUbiStla1 Thar, wa hoo a
The result of it was that | made up my
mind to file bill on the equity side of the
court, to set aside the conveyance. | said |
nothing about this to Miss Prescott, though |
l told her had great hopes that the deed
would not stand. A day or so afterward,
just as | was getting my case in shape,
Cuyp called on her again. She WAS incau-
tious enough to say that the deed was
fraudulent, and she would fight it; and Ben
went off very angry. Cuyp felt that he had
a strong case, and took the bull by the
horns. Miss Prescott was served with a
notice of ejectment.
Two weeks, or Whereabouts, after the be-
ginning of the proceedings, Moses M'Kis-
sen stepped into my office, and asked me if
| would lend him my copy of Hood ON
Executors" for day or so. let him have
it, | was satisfied, however, that he had
come for quite another purpose. SO | asked
him to take a smoke, furnished him with a
open his batteries. He soon came to the
point.
miss Prescott has retained you, see,
in that eiectment case" ~ 49,.
eyes"
81 don't see what she has to stand on.
The deed is all right and can't be got over.
| know the whole transaction"
81 think the deed can be setl aside" l
said.
81 should like TO know on what ground.
But that's your secret"
81 don't know, M'Kissen, what secret
there is in it. You have enough knowledge
of law to be aware that a deed executed by
man under the influence of liquor is
worthless. A drunken man is not compe-
tent to make n conveyance"
"Pooh! pooh When Prescott wrote his
name he was as sober as you and l are
now, and know it. was present and saw
him write it."
"What if we should be able to prove that
he was stupidity drunk all day on the date
of the deed?"
eve can prove by dozen good witnesses
that he was not"
owe" | responded. $50 you are party
in INTEREST,""
Nothing Of the kind. But do so much
business for Cuyp that ! get in the habit of
mixing up his affairs with mine. 1t is no
matter to me whether you get the better of
Cuyp or not; only, so far as the deed goes,