The Columbus journal., 1889-12-18
DAVID MARLE'S STORY.

DAVID MARLE'S STORY.
BY ESTHER sERLE KENNETH.
never quarreled with my brother
John until we came to settle up bust
ness in 1865. We had been partners
ten years, ever since we had been West,
indeed, but some changes made it at
length advisable that we should sepe-
rate. He had made his fortune, and
wanted to return East. /, also, was
able to live with less care, and SO We
sold every acre of our landed property.
and were settling up the books, when
there arose dissension. was not will
ing to divide profits equally. John was
and had family to support,
while was unmarried. His expenses
had been three times IS much IS mine.
Morever, 1 had taken the burden of the
labor and responsibility-this having
been tacitly agreed upon, I being the
man. While he had lived
with his wife and children
among the farms, with horses, men and
money at his hand, and absolute control
of the farming interests, I had been
beating about over the country, from
the Denver to the Florida Glades, buy
ing and selling land, timber and stock
living anyhow, and sacrificing all per-
sonal comfort to our mutual advantage.
It is rough travelling in the West.
Twice I had swan the Missouri when
every stroke endangered my life; once
I had been captured by hostile Indians.
and escaped by strategy. Twas over
taken by q parifie fire and nearly
burned to death, when taking up claims
in Nebraska; and my periods of weari-
ness and discouragement were inde-
scribable. Igrew gaunt, and pale, and
hard, making money, while John waxed
fat and merry. I had all the hardships,
and 1 decided I ought to have more
than half the profits. taking everything
into consideration. John refused this ;
and it was true, as he said, that this
had not been the contract.
John Marie" said Il, "look at the
difference between us. All the trouble
you have had in getting this money is
taking it from my hand. You have
never lost nights sleep in getting it;
you have had full sway in making these
farms as profitable as you please, and
when you have made amiscalculation in
o tenant or q crop, have never blamed
You. You have had q comfortable roof
over your head, while I languished
with yellow fever in the South. and
sickened with ague from exposure in
the West. Two-thirds of this money is
Justly mine. You have spent more than
I, and you have . right only to one hun.
dred thousand dollars"
II will have one hundred and fifty"
he said, doggedly.
~You never shalt" answered.
I had the books. They were in the
Office Of q life insurance company, for
whom I was agent. This business had
been privately my own. had worked
it in with other pursuits, and it paid me
we'll. I had dealt in it only for the last
year, but, during that time, I purchased
for myself, out of its profits, q fine
library, and had made several valuable
presents to . fayorite old maid sister,
living in the East. These expenses
were in the books of the firm-four
hundred dollars for books, fifty for
maps. seventy for . set of furs for
Margaret, and forty for IN easy chair
for her. knew I must take these of
the books before John saw them, or he
would claim that they had been paid
for out of the general fund. As have
said, they were in my private room of
the insurance company's building, in st.
Joseph. When I left my brothers
house in Kansas. I started directly for
this point; but at Atchison . dispatch
met me, requiring me to wait there until
I received further directions from the
directors of the Phoenix. / saw no
actual danger in waiting, and SO re-
NAMED in the city nearly = week.
received some policies then to be car.
ried into the country. As soon Is they
were delivered to the specified parties,
I returned to st. Joseph.
I hurried to the Office; somehow,
felt Is II something was wrong. As ]
unlocked the inner door, Major Hawley
looked up from his newspaper, and
said:
@By the way, Marie, your brothe,
came yesterday and got some books
from your desk
~Some books!" I said. And I fel,
myself growing pale.
Yes. Ledger, you know. knew
he was your partner, and % I let hin
take them. Nothing wrong, Is there
Naxlef.
no. I sid, and went into my o1Bcl
and shut the door. Ny frst movement
was 10 open my desk hurriedly. Yes
they vere gone. John had the books
/ denounced him for villain.
After awhile I grew cooler. Iva
very much SURPRISED at what he had
done. Il was not like him. Il w
plain that he thought ! meant to chea