Waterbury evening Democrat., 1894-04-27

E E young brothers and sisters as well. an
 sure, too, that her hand took away ou,
 deeds, of course by connivance of thos, outside, whe made away with the rec ! ords.
 ''So have believed for years. Latter | ly have found a clew, faint, but tangi ble enongh to give hope of development You see, I speak frankly toyou, my en emy flor pay you the compliment ot feeling that it is safe to do so." i Surely said Allen. Else why s should I be here? It must be as you say Is this woman still living?'' Major Overton nodded. The other ' went on.
 Yesterday the humor seized me to gc through my grandfather secretary. Die you know him, sir? He must have been s near your age.'
 "He was six months younger, y Major } Overton said. 'We played together in \ short frocks and got our first trousers at the same time. but ho did not come out until after my fathers death. Naturally, then, we met only ill the courts ''I remember him well, slim, tall
  but one who impressed mo always as the soul of honor," Allen said refectively. Major Overton's s mouth hardened. "No doubt he was, as he read such things" he said, ''but men of his stamp see all things through the medium of their own inclinations. He was hard selfish, grasping so much so that it seems impossible you can be his grand son.''
 Was his father like him?' asked AL len.
 The major shook his head.
 ''No. He was weak, good natured, obstinate man, who needed always to have his mind made up for him, though once it was made up heaven nor earth could change it.
 "Do you think he was deceived into claiming land to which he had no title?"
 ''No, but that he was cheated into paying for land that belonged to another man.'
 ''Then, in your judgment, both sides were victims. Have you any idea how it came about?''
 ''Ideas! Plenty, but no proofs. y
 'Then perhaps this may be of value, |" Allen said, holding out a packet of vel low papers covered with faded script. "Here are some letters betwixt my great grandfather and his Tennessee lawyer, detailing the purchase of the land and giving the original locator's name"
 ''Let me sec it. Quick, quick!' Major Overton almost shouted. Allen laid a finger upon one blurred line saying:
 "There it is-Bruce Stirling!''
 "What" Major Overton fell back, gasping.
 "Bruce Stirling" Allen repeated. "Do you know him? Did you ever hear of him?''
 Bruce Stirling! see it all now. Yes, have heard of him. Nothing to his credit. Why, he was said to have been one of the Murell gang. He was known to be gambler, blackguard, spendthrift, wholly without principle No wonder he entered the land ill MT. Fauntleroy's name. If this had appeared, the fraud would have been patent to everybody that knew him. Plainly he conspired to sell what he did not own, got the Fauntleroy money, then forged and stole to put them in possession of another mans property"
 But how?" asked Allen. ''It seems to me the most foolhardy villain would not take such risks of instant and cer- tain detection.
 ''You do not know him." Major Over ton said. He would have risked hell the next hour for money that he wanted to spend in this one. And old Isaac, 1,ol ha1o tO Yes, and I remember now it was said that every week of his life the negro hamped over to see his worthless ex- master. Apart from his knavish tend encies, Stirling hated my father, who, as a county magistrate, had once sent him to jail. This was his revenge, a bit ter one indeed. Tell me, is there more than one reference to him in these let ters?'
 Several, think It is, I know, men, tioned that he has gone to Texas, so cannot testify. He is mentioned only ill the deeds under the disguise of an agent and attorney. My great grand father refers, too, to his 'disinterested services as a reason for sparing him all annoyance in the matter. So I fancy Ol1IIIIlss ntt\l DScIl tG SOulo llttIIlS tO cover his track.
 Most likely it was this way" said Major Overton. 'This was wild coun- try then. Travellers to it took back to the seaboard states marvellous tales of it, its richness and beauty. Every man back there who had few thousands to spare felt that he owed it to his children to buy plantations for them i'll the will derness. To do it they intrusted their money often to total strangers The journey here then was no joke-six hun dred miles across the mountains and through canebrakos, with settlements 20 miles apart. Many who made it willingly took commissions from friends and neighbors, which they discharged even more scrupulously than they looked after their own affairs. But sometimes passing traveller was asked to locate land. Oftener still the request was made of somebody living in Tennessee of whom the easterly folk had casually heard In such fashion no doubt your great grandfather heard of Stirling, or stop-maybe through Ike and Jincey he heard of the Fauntleroys and put him
 VI