The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1897-07-10
A CASE In EQUITY.
BY FRANCIS LyNDE.
tcOpyrighi. rsss. by J. B. uppIneOu Col
cRoss-ExAMINATIoN.
BY FRANCIS LYNDI

CRoss-ExAMINATION.
AS a result of Elsie's promise to tell
her father, James Duncan tappefat the
door of his guests room that night just
as Thorndyke had begun letter TO his
mother.
"Come in" said Philip, pushing aside
his writing materials.
Duncan entered, and, otter beating
cautiously about among indifferent
topics for few moments, came warily
TO the object of his visit.
"Elsies been tellin' me ye're bit of
n lawyer, Mr.. Thorndyke," he said, by
way of beginning.
"Yes, 1 have read law in the schools"
'Noo, that's varra singular" re-
marked Duncan, thoughtfully, much as
il Philip had asserted that he was a
high caste Brahmin--"verra singular;
but then, ii may be no 80 inopportune,
after a. Would We min teIlin' me, moo,
what for we cam to study the law?"
Chiefly because my father wished IT,.
1t was his profession"
SOW, aye" said Duncan, rubbing his
chin and relapsing into a silence which
seemed to indicate that he had come to
the end of his Introductory resources.
Philip thought TO help him along by
asking il there were need for legal adj
vice in the affairs OF the family.
"Na, ma, it's no just that; but there's.
rs one may say, frien' o. the family
wha wouldna be the waur for a wee bit
o. that same. I'm thinkin' Elsie's been
claverin' ABBOTT IL when ye was over
yon."
"She told me about the troubles of
your old friend Kilgrow, and ! offered
! to help him II 1 could. Was that What
you meant?"
AYE" said Duncan, and, as he showed
no disposition TO be more explicitly
Philip continues:
eff / am to act as attorney for your
friend, it is needful that / should Know
all the facts. Are you prepared to give
thcmg',
Duncan was evidently making n COM.
scientious effort toward .franllness, but
with such meager results that Thorn
dyke was finally compelled to exact the
desired information piecemeal, as from
an unwilling witness. After getting the
outline of .Elsie's story verified, he pro-
.ceeded to'particulars.
GLOW long had Kilgrow owned the
and when he took Gates as a tenafit?"
"Fm no vera clear upo' that point.
but it's a matter o. 20 year or more, as
ken myself" -,
"Was his title clear?" ~,
az think there's ma doubt aboQt that"
whats the name of this county7"
"Chilmath."
'sAnd Allacoochee is the county seat p
"Aye."'
"Does this farm of Eilgrow'e lie Who'll
,.ly within the limitsef the new town ?"
81 Gamma say as % the preceese leem-
ats; I'm thinkin' it'll TAX in ABBOTT half
the town."
ct suppose no one knows anything
about the exact nature OF the transac-
ton between the town company and
Cates"
"Naething mair than that Gates got
a thousand dollars on the nail"
"was that n fair price for the land at
the timer" :
"Na, il wasfa mair than half price.
Thorndykey made a note of this.
s'That's our starting point. You knew
Cattss what kind of a man was he?
Would he be likely to sell anything at
half price Of his own accordY"'~
INA, that he wouldna; he was n canny
chiel, an over fond o. the main chance"
"Thsn there was probably some pres
sure brought 10 bear upon him. Now,
what do you know about the town COM
pany peoplef Who made the deal with
Cates?"
"a lawyer by the name of Sharpless,
an the agent, MasterAJenkinsF ench."
"Ohol" said Philip, recalling his mar
tyrdom on the train. That fellow was
in IL. washe? He's rascal, IL ever there
was one out of Jail. II his face doesn't
belle him Ae's equal TO anything in the
way OF fraud. How about his part
ner?"
.Tne lawyer I'm thinlSin' he's deal
vvaur than tother."
1T isn't very likely that they bought
the land without knowing all about the
flaw in the title, unless there's been
more crookcdness than we know about.
il Kilgrow sure that he never signed
any papers for Gates or anyone clse?"
Hes vera willin' 10 tax his oath
upo' that; an ats the mair unlikely,
sim he Gamma read orwrite."
"And you say Gates got his money
and then disappearedf"
"Aye."
"That adds a little 20 the suspicious
took Of the thing; bat. then. les free