Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1897-09-14
XVI.
LOVE VERSUS IDEALS.

| Glenco, being no longer young man,
and having spent rather more than hall
! the night on the mountain with XII
grow. He was eating late dinner
when Elsie, from her place at the win
dow, announced the arrival of visitor.
! "Who is it, then?" asked Duncan,
whose mind was burdened with pre-.
monitions of legal processes and writs
of surrender all pointing toward the
| precious document left in his custody
II think he's coming here; it's no one
We know. Yes, he's hitching his horse.
He's a big man with smooth face"
Duncan guessed Sharpless, and pro.
ceeded to fortify his caution by greater
elaboration with his dinner. Elsie
answered the visitors knock, and pres.
emily came in with a square of card
board. *'1t's Mr.. Sharpless," she said.
"Aye?" said Duncan. do ye gang
in an sit wi him the whites I'm fin.
| ishin' the bit dinner"
Elsie obeyed dutifully, but she stood
in such awe of Kilgrow's arch-enemy
that the suave lawyer had extracted
no more than a half-dozen monosyl-
tables from her when her father came
to relieve her.
'Mr. James Duncan, I presume" said
the visitor, affably, rising to greet the
farmer.
''The same," replied Duncan. "Sit
We doom, Master Sharpless." And in the
exchange of civilities Elsie gladly made
her escape to the kitchen.
II drove over to see you on little
matter of business" said the lawyer,
rightly judging that he would lose
ground in any attempt to measure
circumlocutory swords with the Scotch
man. II come from Mr.. Thorndyke,
and he refers me to you for some in
formation in regard to John Kilgrow."
"Aye?" queried Duncan, who thought
hardest when he said the least, and
who was prepared in advance to dis
credit the statements of the town COM
pany's attorney even if they should ap-
pear TO be seN-evident truths.
Eyes. Mr.. Thorndyke was obliged to
leave for New York this morning, and
before he went we had a conference
about the matter in which he has been
representing John Kilgrow. I hardly
need tell you that, as professional men.
we soon came to satisfactory under
standing, and Mr.. Thorndyke was quite
willing that should settle the claim
with his client direct. He referred me
to you for the particulars, saying that
it would be necessary to approach Kill
grow through you on account of a fool
ish fear on the part of the old man
touching some ancient difficulty with
the revenue people,"
"Did Master Thorndyke gle ye bit
of letter to me?'' asked Duncan,
warily.
II spoke of it, but he said it wouldn't
tie necessary. He was very much hur-
ried, and there was little time to spare
He was called home by telegraph, l
understood"
Duncan Illuminated thoughtfully for
some minutes, considering not so
much what he should say as how he
could say the least and learn the most.
IAN what is it yell be wantin' O. me-
Master Sharpless?" he finally inquired
Nothing more than that you will
see Kilgrow and arrange meeting.
I should be glad to entertain him il,
Allacoochee, but if he does not wish
to come to town can go to him, if he
will appoint a time and place."
"But I'm ma sure I'll see auld John
ME in the next twal 'month,' objected
Duncan.
"Why, I understood from Mr. Thorn
dyke that he lived here near you some
where"
Duncan shook his head. ''He has ma
house in these parts thatI KEN
Sharpless tilted his chair and slipped
his hands into his pockets. Il under
stand your reluctance. Mr.. Duncan"
lie said, with smile that had softened
Snore than one recalcitrant witness.
''You will pardon my not mentioning
1t sooner, but had not thought of AJAX
ing you to serve us in this matter with
out compensa ton. It will be thou
sand dollars in your pocket when you
bring Kilgrow to my office in Allacoo-
Chez"
Duncan's solemn face gave no intima-
tion of the strife stirred up within him
by, the lawyers shameless proposal
q furious struggle between cautious
shrewdness and righteous indignation.
For the first, and perhaps the last, time
in his life, wrath got the better of pru-
dence, and he burst out in a storm of
broad Scotch invective that put sharp
conclusion to the interview.
''Ye'll bride auld Jamie Duncan, will
ye? Yell tilt yersep back in yer chair
in . mans ain hoose an pit price on
the held O. his frien'? Lat me tell we,
ance for a., Master Attorney, We didna
hid high eneuch - there's ma gowd
cneuch amang the hale scram'lin O. We
to buy ane hair O. Johnnie Keelgrow's
neid, d. We ken that, ye auld smooth
faced dell? TAX yer dour face DOT O.
the hoose.< before I'm forgettin' I'm a
man O. peace an Chreestian!' -
Sharpless was shrewd enough to see
that he had hopelessly ruined his case