Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1895-07-12

@I suppose you'll want something Tor
he uze af your money" pursueI inc
merchant. with an insinuatiny sml
.You cave four hun1red dollars, be-
cvc, for tho half interest OF my late
Drother.in-law, Charles Tower, in THIS
"Ouite right, sir Just four hundred
@Then tho eight thousand acres, con,
tinucd the merchant, with a smile OF
anticipated triumph, shave cost you susC
@ even hundred doliars?"
Pcrry assented, and Skiddcr proceeded:
"Wbat shall we say, therefore, for
vour entire interest? viii fifteen hun
dred dollars be fair fgure?"
The strange smile of Perry Wynans
"Hardly," ho answered. "I have
taken the trouble to give those lands
personal inspe; tiOn, and"
"You?" exclaimed the merchant, with
q start of astonishmcnt.
"Certainly-I."
"When, may ask?"
almost three years ago
"What! Before you purehascl them?"
Naturally And Perry smiled again
81 went out there during one of my
brief vacations
The merchant lost co'or. He even
looked startled, and his mien grew re-
proachful and injured, as If he had been
deceived.
"And have also been at the expense
of sending a mining expert to Montana
to r,pJrt upon the property" addeJ
Wynans.
"And your expert has reported"
"ne has, sr may add L am IN re
ceipt of very surprising information
Tho merchant stirred uneasily, an in
tense flush replacing the pallor which
had mantled his face.
"Such information, in fact" eXplaincd
Perry. "that | do not care to part with
my Mussel hell property on a1y terms
whatever.
He arose quietly, as if he had nothing
moro to say on the sub. b.cct.
ooh, well, seeing it's you, Perry" dc'
clarcd the merchant, with wheedllna
sort of tone, 81 will be LIBERAL. l want
TO give my son q new homo far from his
present temptations, and have iuiy de-
cided to send him to Montana. Sup G
we say couple of thousands for the
prol erty?"
81 am very sorry, Mr.. Skidder," re
sponded Perry, "but | have decidei not
to sell the ands in que 'tion-certainly
not before have again visited Montana
in person
Hiram Skidder drew his breath hard,
his countepance losing color again
@Then you won't put price on them?"
"NOt at prcscnt-nO, sir.
"Can't tempt you?" qucrie the mer-
chant, for ing smile.
al don't believe you can, sir But you
should remember there arc plenty oil
wild lands for sale near mine. cXpec'
to go out that way soon, so that your
son can have me for neighbor =
81 will give you 5000, Perry" inter
ruptcd the merchant with an abrupt
ness which attested how eager he was
to carry his point
"Indeed? You must have had good
news from the Musselshcll!"
"Not a world"
an any case, 1 must decline your
offer"
The words seemed to plunge the mer
chant into a veritable CONSERVATION.
"You can't mean it, he protested. g
tod nv son he should have these lands
and so l must make you another ant
final offer. Let us say $40, ,0OO!"
Perry shook his head eml hitical'y.
"Ten thousand dollars or 10 cents
it's all the same to me, Mr.. Skidder," nj
declared. "Money won't buy them!"
"What! not $40, 900, al in cash, within
five minutcs?" cried the merchant
"No, sir!"
"Not fifty thouSand?"
"No. nor twice fifty thousand" as
sured Perry, with the same quiet smile
ms before. 81 have no intention of sell
ing those lands, Mr.. Skidder, and mus
decline to entertain any proposition look
ing to their purchase"
Hiram Sk:dder lccame dea'hly pal
with the rage and veZation these declara
tions caused him. A flood OF furious re
proaches and threats trembled upon hi
lips But he controlled mself,
"I-I am very sorry," he faltered, wit
averted face "I'll have to be conten
with sending my sol out there to b
your neighbor, as you have suggested
That's all, sir"
Ferry Wynans again inclined his hand
} some figure gracefully and vanished.
I What a glance of hate and wrath wa
that the merchant sent after him.
"Tbe thieving villain!" he ejaculate
"To talk in that way about a piece
property | sold him for almost nothing
But of course he has received extraoI
binary reports from his special agen'
What can be the secret?"
Springing to his feet, he strobe to an
fro excitedly, knitting his brows IN a
intense study as to the ways and mean
of recovering possession OF the land
Ywith which he had so lightly par'e
l<supposing them to be worth ess.
~ see what to do, he finally decided
81 must start for the Musscl she'll TIL
very night At the best I'm on the verg
Of fai ure. ] am tired OF these VAIN a
tempts to get on my feet again. All
lost here, and | hav. all to ga thc n
If can get out there ahead OF PERI
Nipans. and catch him in some que
corner, with no one looking and wit
those deeds on his person, before they'N
been recorded, I'll soon be master OF I'll
SituatiOn"
The ok upon Lis face attested thi
he meant it, all things evil being WI
ten thereon-ha' and greed, ana eve
violence and robbery.
CHAPTER IL.
TrrRNED OUT TO PERISH.