The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1897-02-08
CHAPTER w

Mr.. Topmark' S letter to Mr.. Howell
had been a triumph Of diplomacy. There
had been no mention Of business-oh,
not the leasti He had said in rambling
fashion that a widower was mighty
lonesome, and it was near time for dove
shooting to begin, and maybe "thar
might be some lection matters that
could be talked over to advantage when
a man had neither wife nor crop on
his mind to bother him.
To himself Mr.. Topmark added that
Howell was rat sharp, but not likely to
try putting UP any game on him. He
himself knew too much. If he told all
he knew, it would be mighty awkward
for Howell and bigger men besides.
Then, too, the storekeeper was fairly
sure of his ground. He had taken opin-
ion of Judge Graball, the first lawyer
in Oldbridge, in the very beginning of
things. and Graball had said, getting
clean hundred dollars for the saying,
that in Mr.. Topmark' hypothetical case
right might lie on one side. Law was
certainly on the other. If wife had not
quitclaimed property held Jointly or
bought i'll her behalf, no sure title pass
ed to its purchaser. Her children or
children's children were entitled to re-
cover not only the land itself, but rea-
sonable rent for it, this all the more if
they had lived out of the state and
naturally in ignorance Of their rights.
That condition indeed made the statute
OF limitation imperative. Holders of
such land could set up only adverse pos.
session and plead in equity innocent
purchase. Even if they avowed that
there had been quitclaiming in the orig
mai transaction to establish such ayowal
legally they must submit the deed or a
record OF it or an exact and attested
transcript of the original.
IAN thar amt mare scratch fer he
found er sech er paper, not in none or
the county records Mr.. Topmark had
said, rubbing his hands as he rode awav.
de repeated it with JUNCTION, inly. when
ne saw the lawyer, sleek and faxen, his
chair tipped comfortably back against
pillar OF the porch and Teddy Barton
gazing at him with open eyed admira.
tion. Teddy had indeed paid the man
from town the compliment of his life Inv
remaining silent full five minutes while
the other talked. He had even admitted
TO his inner consciousness that there
was one more man in the world could
ne cravat with as much style as Ted
ny himself. But Of that Mr.. Topmarl
reckoned nothing. He was too rant in
his own concerns "Now, Rob, nv dar.
ilng," he was saying to himself ar
nope you'll be sensible an gimme er
chance ter settle this yere business the
way like. Eff you but knowed il. nv
gal you ain { got no show without me
4, nhar amt hoof ner horn you kin sell.
Inc whole crap. eff it was in the harm
wouldn't fetch er hundred dollars An
mar the ole man. You wanter keen
nim In cotton wool. You're er fool fer
.hat' but be hanged eff don't love Won
1etter Jest because er sech foolisbness
JACK talbot is better ter loo], atm mo
out you won't take him. not Of von,ro
sensible: But you amt sensible / don,t
ueiieVe want you ter be neither. Ell
'no"eh' you d take me fer what I've
eo'' wouldn't be nigh so mad after
you la ruther sorter make Won take
INC an then coax you inter lovin me than
Ter nave you drap in my mouth because
er what ! kin give you" "''o
he ne mad been silently soliloquizinp in
,ion' Oh his dead wife's fine, big burean
looking himself carefully over in the
nlrror' no half sighed, stroked his sinh.
oiy mustache, then all at once sat sud.
ueniy down, with an odd, smothering
pam at his heart. 1t passed in SECOND
U ~, TWO, but left him white and shaken !.
mus put er stop ter that. he said
hod The ole witchl Black Sam
sau spells like that all winter befo, No
jured." '"iu he was con-
a,o Ms ne went went out on the porch Luley
s cropped her beloved crochet work and
, s,aaed up to him, saying, with an air Of
v wes, . Pepper, lomme 90 with
yOu ttI Amt Saralsg.