Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1897-03-17
CHAPTER XIV.

MI. Topmark's letter to Mr.. Howell
had been triumph Of diplomacy. There
had been no mention Of business-oh,
not the leastl 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
q man had neither a 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's hypothetical case
right might lie on one side. Law was
certainly on the other. If wife bad not
quitclaimed property held jointly or
bought in 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 a 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
inal transaction to establish such avowal
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 ter be
found er sech er paper, not in none or
the county records" Mr.. Topmark had
said, rubbing his hands as he rode away.
He repeated it with JUNCTION, inly, when
he saw the lawyer, sleek and faxen, his
chair tipped comfortably back against a
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 by
remaining silent full five minutes while
the other talked. He lad even admitted
to his inner consciousness that there
was one more man in the world could
tie O cravat with as much style as Ted
dy himself. But Of that Mr.. Topmark
reckoned nothing. He was too rapt in
his own concerns "Now, Rob, my dar-
ling" he was saying to himself, 81
hope you'll be sensible an gimme er
chance ter settle this yere business the
way I like. Eff you but knowed it, my
gal, you amt got no show without me.
Thar amt hoof ner horn you kin sell.
The whole crap. ef it was in the barn,
wouldn't fetch er hundred dollars. An
thar's the ole man. You %anter keep
him in cotton wool. You're er fool fer
that, but be hanged ef don't love you
better Jest because er sech foolishness
Jack Talbot is better ter look attn me
but you won't take him, not eff your
sensible. But you ain sensible. don
believe I want you ter be neither. Eff
thought you'd take me fer what 1'v'
got, I wouldn't be nigh so mad afte
you. I'd ruther sorter make you TAX
me an then coax you inter lovin me thai
ter have you drap in my mouth becaus'
or what kin give YOU"