Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1894-11-22

a term, bore to his the relation O
9 shadow to substance. She acquiesced
always acquiesced, simply acquiesced
in what he said and did.
:, Mrs. Sterritt noticed, on this partic
: ular evening, that something seemed
to weigh heavily upon Wesley
mimi, and she s1rmised that thai
: something concerned her.
Martha" said he abruptly, whe1
she had finished with the dishes an(
began with her knitting as usual
"Pm going to buy that lot I was
talkin' about yisnddy- the brick
bo'dln'- house phase j'inin' the church.
Mrs. Sterritt was vaguely startled
and suspicious. He never made her g
confidant in his affairs, and now
talked as though it specially con
cerned her. He even looked as if he
expected her to make a reply.
Hes erbleeged to sell-the fellow
was thar yistiddy,' he continued
in cash. It's with easy a time and
half that; easy"
Mrs. Sterritt continued her knitting
in silence, never once looking up. The
indications, she knew, were Omnous.
I've got, say, $4,000 Of that My
credit is good, but not good enough,
Martha"
/ Wesley looked closely at her face
! She fumbled bit at her knitting.
Il can't be burned out again. I
must try something else. l must fail.
! | must put that lot in yo' name"
! He explained the scheme in detail
She listened without comment until
I he had finished. Then she folded up
the knitting and said quietly:
That's stealth. 1 won't"
Wesleys face crimsoned He was
equally amazed and angry She as
tonished him further before he could
find words for his. wrath by asking
sternly:
rs what they say about them fires
O. your'n d fact, Wesley?'
He answered with an oath. His
face was pale now and his fists were
clenched. He controlled himself with
an effort, and then said slowly:
"If you won't she will; IN put the
lot in Dory Turner's name, an you
! Glad enough she'd be. Now, Miss
Righteous, will the lot be in yO name
or her'nf"
He saw her flush at the mention
of Dora Turner's name. Her head
and shoulders dropped for an instant
as though she had been dazed by a
IL hol ~
say as much as he had intended to
say, so confident was he that she
would submit. He asked triumphant
ly:
"Yo' name or Dory Turners:"
Mime" She answered.
She obeyed implicitly after that,
signing papers as he directed. The
fraud was contaminated. Outraged
creditors attacged the title, but unsuc-
cesSfuly. The deed was good Wesley
Serritt owned property, in his wife's
name, worth more than $4,000. He
calculated that, all things considered,
he had done well in business. He hal
only to sell the lot after a while ana
begin again, probably i'll Nashville or
LOuiSyie, with a cash capital which
it would have taken years to acquire |
in legitimate business. Meanwhile, |
the house was filed with bOarders. |
the property was paying good interest
He could afford to wait, to look about
leisurely for purchaser and for an
opportunity to locate elsewhere. He
went home with his wife from the
court house on the day of the final
decision.
rs it all oversize asked.
"A II over,' he said. The property
is mine. It's paid for, too
He laughed at his own wit, and
laughed at her puzzled. curious eX-
preston.
"An over" she repeated thought
fully.
May l ask?" he grinned, as the
new idea occurred to him, what you
propose to do with yo' property"
Yes" she said quietly. Il propose
to keep it, Wesley"
You're comm out" he said, in
mock encoura cement, noting the apt
ness with which she matched his grim
humor. AN what. may / ask, do
you propose to do with me?"
you must git out, Wesley"
"When?"
To-day. Yes, TH keep the place.
I'll pay back what you stole an keep
the place"
Then the suspicion. and instantly
the certainty. got into Wesley Ster-
rftt's head that the woman was in
earnest-that she was crazy and
would do exactly what she said. Cold
perspiration came out in beads upon
his face. He pleaded as he never
pleaded before. Mrs. Sterritt was in
exorable. and answered simply:
You must go, Wesley"
"Ain't my credit good for board,
Martha?' -
i ''Mebbe-w it'll Dory Turner"
! There was no answer for that. He
looked to see that the window cur
tains shut off the view from the out
side. and then got upon his knees.
Martha" he whined. Martha"
Wesley" she said decisively, you
must go now-go right away"
That was ten or twelve years ago.
Mrs. Sterritt still keeps the boarding
house. She has paid off what Yves
ley stole, every cent of it, with inter-
est. At long intervals he reappears
in Atlanta a homeless sot, the meek
est of men, who goes there and asks
oi1-