The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1894-08-29

ris, said Hiram SKldder, without taxing
the trouble to present his brother to the
newcomer. "It's all ready for our sig.
natures"
The document was duly perfected and
handed to Jerry. who counted out the
$21O,OO0 agreed upon, and the notary,
after few words in the ear Of his client,
took his departure.
1t would be hard to say which of tho
two brothers was the most delighted at
the transaction. Their mutual expan-
sion was tremendous.
"And now for the other half of this
property, Hiram," said Jerry, gaining
his feet and securing the deed in his
pocket, with suppressed jubilance allow
far is it to Ingleheim-to the home Of
our brother-in-law, Charlest Tower, who
bought these lands with you?"
about eighteen miles, jerry" replied
the merchant, who was in the act OF de-
had Just been handed HIN.
There are trains every hour or two,
do doubt?" pursued Jerry.
aOh, yes; every half hour, think, at
about this time Of the day. But why do
ask2"
Naturally" explained the visitor, II
am going to Ingleheim to see Charley
Tower, the husband OF our sister Mary,
to buy his interest in these lands, and
I'll frankly warn you, Hiram"
"Oh, save your threats, jerry" inter-
rupted the merchant, with insolent jubi-
lance. II shall make no attempt to
warn Tower Of your coming or Of your
errand. The fact is he has been dead
over year"
jeremiah Skidder dropped heavily into
the chair from which he had arisen.
"Really?" he muttered, seeing the
merchant was perfectly serious @Then
I shall have to deal with sister Mary,
and that will suit mo better; women are
so easily wheedled!"
@But sister Mory Is dead. tool" con-
tinued the merchant, in the same tone
and with the same aspect he would have
displayed in mentioning the price of a
yard of tape. "She died last week,
Jerry!"
aIndeed? Then I shall have to deal
with their daughter" declared the
, visitor, without the least expression OF
sorrow. "Lets see-what was her
name? I've forgotten IT,"
"Her name is Ellie, "said the merchant.
aShe was here an hour ago, asking me
for little assistance, but I turned her
off without q penny"
"Then she don't know the value OF her
inheritance, of course? Good! Capital!
can buy her out for few hundreds!
She has gone back to 1ngleheim, OF
course?"
"The point is uncertain. In any case,
1t would do you no good to see her! The
title you are seeking does not rest in her.
Jerry The truth is, Charley Tower sold
his half OF the Musselshell property some
two or three years ago."
aImpossibe!" cried Jerry, springing to
his feet again and looking startled.
"The fact is perfectly certain"
sBut who bought him out?"
"Perry Wynans-my cashier"
"For how much?"
"Four hundred dollars"
-Four hundred!" gasped Jerry, turu-
ing pale. @You cannot mean it,"
II am telling you the exact truth. :"
"And you permitted it"
u didn't know any better at the time,
jerry said the merchant, his face sud.
denly lighting up with concentrated
wrath and disgust. SYou had been tell.
ing us for years in your occasional let
ters that the lands were of no account,
and Tower and 1 were fools enough 10
! believe you"
@And where is this Wynans'"
she has started West, as you may see
by this letter"
He handed the farewell epistle Of his
ex-cashier to Jerry, who literally writhed
while reading it.
"Destruction!" he gasped, on reaching
the signature 1.-THE fellow is posted.
The cat is out OF the bag. He'll be in
Montana before I am. He'll learn oil
the facts in the case. I shall never be
able to buy him out-never! neverl"
The very excitement OF the old man
tended to make his younger brother
angry, so terribly did it remind him OF
what he had lost by the falsehoods and
deceptions heaped upon him.
"The lands are prize, then?" ho
cried, his face livid with passion.
"A prize, Hiram" returned jerry,
carried away by his emotions. They're
the biggest thing on earthl We have
| discovered two gold mines on the prop
erty from which we have been taking
thousands of dollars day."
"hnd yet"
With cry like that of maniac,
| Hiram Skidder sprang to his feet and
caught up the chair in which he had
been sitting, swinging it aloft and ap'
| preaching his brother.
"And yet you Internal rascal" he
cried "you have the check to come here
and offer me $500 for half interest in
all those present and coming millions!
Oh! what ought to do to you"
"Look out, Hiram! Don't come step
nearer! Put down that chair or III yell
murder" cried Jerry, starting to his
feet and nimbly darting behind the mer-
chants desk. "I've only done what you
would have done in like circumstances.
Besides, intended to tell you all about
1t as soon as my title was perfect"
"Wretched fool and knave that you
are," returned the merchant, recovering
his self possession and lowering his
| chair, "you'll never secure the least title
to = foot of the land in question
never!"
Jerry Skidder looked aghast at the
violence of these denunciationS.
@Why, you've just given me-"
"a mere bait to catch my own" inter.
rupted the merchant with grim ano
mocking frankness.. "The pretended
! deed nave jast given you is not worth
the paper it is written upon"
"Why not?"
ITO begin with, the lands have been
out of my hands nearly three years." ex'
planned Hiram Skidder, with visible JOY
at the gall and wormwood he was serv'
ing up to his brother. "You gave me