The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1885-09-17

\ given in emphatic phrase. A year of fair
1 ly good business, as compared with the de-
| preston all about them, had been changed
into a year of actual loss by several ap-
parently good accounts proving worthless
| when collection was attempted. For some
| of these losses, which wiped out the years
work, one partner was responsible; for
| some, the other. A chance word inspired
by worry provoked recriminatiol, and the
two somewhat peppery temperaments had
warmed into an an angry separation.
"When it came to that old dotard's
| throwing Fosters mortgage in my face,
said Mr.. Tully, in narrating the final scene,
| 81 told him I'd buy the confounded claim
for the face Of the debt, and he could go to
| thunder"
"Who is Foster, and what is his mort
gage!" asked Mark
"Foster is customer / picked I'D from
| Philadelphia, and six months ago l took a
mortgage on some land of his in Pennsyl-
vania, as security for what he owed Us
and couldn't pay. We had 10 foreclose on
! him: and then, as near as we could find
out, nothing but stones grew on his farm,
| and the land was worth about six cents an
acre"
did scrimsOn buy up any of the bad
debts that he took in:"
''No; he isn't quite such fool as q m.
The business will be wound up square, ex-
cept this one claim that took. Thank the
Lord! | don't need to work any more
unless feel like it, and that policy will be
falling in one of these days when Scrimson
goes off with apoplexy in one Of his
RACES"
''You mean the Monadnock Mutual on
his life?"
eyes; that's the only way we can bal
anCe accounts. He has cost me more than
ten thou usand the past year; and if he goes
on losing for himself as he lost on joint ac-
Il feaR.yo
pocket to get his estate into executors
hands. By the way, Mark, are you fOoling
around there as much as you were?"
81 don't go to the house much now,"
answered Mark, calmly disingenuous.
"Well, l wouldn't if were you. Nothing
good can come of it. l am done with him
and all his belongings, and you'd better
be-"
What ludicrous similarity in the turn
and habit of mind of these two men. !.
thought Mark. After ten years of close
relations, a quarrel which involves mutual
reflections upon their business capacity
changes their frieneship into detestation,
drives them apart and sets each watching
for the death of the other, On whose life a
price has been put. 1t seemed to him a
| ieSpotism of the business instinct, assert
! ing its supreme rule over all sentiment and
passion; and as he listened to his uncle
talking in the way that had seemed so
horribly grotesque to Fanny when she
heard it from her father, the glimmor of
Al idea became sudden light to him and
he saw his way to an experiment with the
same abnormally, developed business in
stinct which had something of promise in
it. At least, nothing could make the situa-
tion worse as far as it concerned himself
and Fanny, and it might be made better.
To this end he called on his own business
faculties.
Have you got that Pennsylvania mort
gage with you?" he asked.
mo; it's with some other paDers in the
safe. What do you want OF it,"
81 am going to Philadelphia in day or
two, and might run down and look up the
property. Now that you own it. you ought
to know something more about it. 1t may
not be such bad piece as you have been
toldu
80. it's as bad as it can be- We leased
a dozen acres of it month ago for twenty
five dollars year and taxes, with option
of purchase. But you may look at it if
you want to. | put the whole matter in
your hands. Collins will give you the
papers if you drop in at the Office to-
morrow. By-the-way, ask him for that
policy on Scrimson'S life, and see if it is
all straight and safe; and if you happen
to run across Scrimson, let me know how
he is looking"
Mark did not run across Scrimson, and
consequently could not report upon the
prospect of his sudden demise; but he
mailed a letter to Scrimson's pretty
daughter before starting on his Pennsyl-
vania trip the next day. His business in
Philadelphia was soon finished, and as he
took his seat in the westward-bound train
his mind was free to work on the
audacious scheme, which had come to him
like an inspiration, for the simultaneous
punishment and reformation of the two
unreasonable men whose prejudices stood
between him and his Fanny. His conclu-
sion was that while it was desperate ex
pertinent, it was worth trying; and his
resolution was not shaken by an incident
which occurred the next day.
He had stepped off the train to catch a
breath of undiluted mountain air at AL
tOcna, and walking along the station plat
form he had glimpse of a face at the
window of Pullman car that sent an
electric shock from the region of his heart
up and down his frame to brain and feet
simultaneously.
"Fannyr'
"Markn
"How did you get here? Where are you
going:"
''How did you dare to follow u.s."
at was "a spirit in my feet. Ny good
angel sent me without my knowing it,"
why! didn't you get my letter:''
"No; hut | wrote you one"
And l didn't get that, either. Father
hurried ma OFF without even giving me
time to pack. We got news that his cousin
in Pittsburgh had a stroke of apoplexy
and wasn't expected to live-hs own
cousin, born the same day he was, and
named after grandfather, just like papa"
"Was the old gentleman good deal cut
up" inquired Mark. "Is his heart Just
little softened?"
Poor papa feels very bad" answered
Fanny; "but it is awful to hear him talk
just unkindly as ever about you and
your uncle. Why, the first thing he said
was: If it had only been Tully, now.' He
is as hard as ever: There! be is coming
back to his seat. Do go away, Markn
"Wait just minute. This is important,
| Fanny, and you mustn't forget it. Pm not
! going to Pittsburgh; but if that cousin
! should die, you send me a newspaper with
the notice of his death just as quickly as
ycu can, and write me the minute you get
home. l shall be back in five days. You'll
remember? That's dear girl"
Hes coming, Mark. Go away before he
sees you"
| Mark, in farewell, pressed the fingers
that rested on the sill of the car window,
and strolled toward the rear of the train,
| which was about starting. When at length
he got off at the junction with the southern
| branch, a flutter of white at the window of
the Pullman told him that he was not for
| gotten or unobserved.
The tract of land which had come into
his uncle's possession through the unfortu-
nate mortgage he found without difficulty,
\ and after half a days examination he con-
cluded that its value had been stated with
! tolerable accuracy. 1t showed a stubborn
soil in the open, alternating with sparse
| woodland, and on one eminence the founda-
tion and cellar of an intended mansion
house, grown over with weeds and brush,
| and known in the region as Fosters Folly.
|. This was on the leased portion of the es-
tate; and as Mark rode his horse slowly