Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1891-02-24
. ,awy,r in anything ,ha, va. no, mi.

All he heari Tor moment was the
scratching ~ pen n u was driven rap
Idly over paper
Finally be hcarl Parker- voice.
"Now sce here. Preston. have care
fully written tia. story down. and you
must familiariEc yourself with H.
"lIow much |. true and how much
FALSE
ut DOESN'T make any difference how
much l. true of fal-r. this story slap
ping the papers, has ~, 90 b. the true
one. Now. want you to study over u,
and will come again and again and
talk with you until you get !, pat
"well. I'll Try Il.
~ YOU would stop drinking and get
the rum oui u your sodden old brain
you would g,t II all right enough Yoa
u-c,l % b. sharpcnough, In all conscience
sake
"Am n sharp now as ! ever was. only
can't rccollcct a. used to That's H.
cause rm getting OLD.
"lts bocause you are getting your
skin full OF whisky every day. Now.
80 here You are a brother Of Charles
Preston"
"of course am. OF Why did he give
mc money for fifteen years.
What's the uss - ouf arguing that
point Il makes no difference between
"a. whether IL vas brcausc you were his
brother. which be- denied. or b-causs you
had s"crrt of his worth paying for
For all se want. you are.
"wcll. was. ] tell you
"Ncyrr mind. we can establish. 10y put
ting your papsrs and my papers together.
that Chafl,s Pisrson was an assumed
name. the rra.on Why hs changed IL,
that you wcrc his brother. that be- had
no relations other than you. and mo- de-
sccndants. anI establishing these facts
~e can take his property Now. | don't
dar. take the fr., step bcfore the suro
gate until have sccn you have 40, the
story ~ straight yoI won't stumble
when you 80 on the stand
"oh. Ill gc, Il, dont you fear
Well. do fear Then there 1. the
story ~ your own life. have written
that. tor"
Parker laughed an ugly laugh.
1t was a tough job to reconstruct the
twenty year. of your life you spent be-
tween fuuf Stone walls.
Hush. sail the other olj man. for
heaven. sskc ioni talk of that"
"wcll. you ssrycl your time out; they
can't take you for I, again. Il was .
rucky path that ~ your life. oil man
and have smo5thcl It very inge-
niously.
Keep quist'- cric,i the old man. With
an oath. "or 10 kick the whole thing
overheard
TIT, THREAT hld a subiuing effect upon
Parker
"well. don't gct hufy. he aid. "rU
b. quiet But you must h. pat With IL
when you'rr callcl upon for u l don't
think yuu wi.i o.. tor doubt " there
will H. cuutrsianL But the lawyer
whom shall employ may want 10 know
your story
"why don't YOU do II yourseln You
are lawyer
There are certain circumstances con-
nc-ted With nav professional career
which max. u advisable for the % keep
out ~ court liut can't Idle here I've
gu, y gr,at deal to do today Here are
.omc Iap-r. ! want you tb sign
"whai arr thcyF
The agreement. and oln,ncts Of
transfer to ~. of one half ~ the proper
~ when you grt a.
"Well. am entitlea shole.
"Of oour.e yea arr. yuG old ass. but
N you don't give me half YOU won't
have any part u H. Sign. OF YOU won't
get smell II Il. and besides, III stop
your allowance
Thl. was a dir. threat. and meant a
sioppags of liquor. ~ be signed with
trembling hand
jaime. Pr,-i0n.'
"Now. ~aii moment, aid Parker.
lie went a. the window and b"ckoned
Ia a man Who stood upon the opposite
side ~ the street
In moment more the person entered
the ruum
you are q notary public. ! want you
to verify thee signatures"
II was ceremony soon accomplished,
and Parker. placing the paPcr In his
packet. went ID. after leaving ten dol
lar bill With the Old man Preston
The Shadow remained long enough at
his ppst to hear Preston sayi
We'll. there's something crooked
Aluut this. bat don't know what Any
how. I know am the brother Of the
man they call Charles Picrson ! can't
figure II out. bat can 40 and gct n
drink"
A. the old man went out. the Shadow
stepped down lightly and pas-.d into his
ruom.
II don't know that the matter has any
tearing on that which the 'Ioss' has in
hand lguess no, Bu, ! will tell him
anyhow"
When he did tell Tom. that Astuts
young gentleman said
mo. do not believe u has any imme-
diate BEARING on our matter IL has THIS
effect. however. and that Il, that We
won't worry much about PArker's par
ticipation In the matter. for he IL not
pursuing the line Ne are and has no con-
nsction with H. What he Is In for IL
clear enough lie will make a blunder
of IL, for be don't know IL all. and he'll
", In a mess before he i aware ~ IL
I'll drop a hint 10 the surrogate 10 90
slow on any application made on bohalf
IL James Preston. Hut. say. old Par
ker may be a valuable man 10 follow up
on the line of picrson lie evidently
knows more about him than se do. II
will IL worth while to cultivate him
when We get the chance, bat Just now
there are other things TO lie done.
Crobs oontinusil