Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1897-09-28
A CASE IN EQUITY.
BY FRANCIS LYNDE.
copyright. 1895. by J. B. Lipplncott Col
XVIII.-CONTINUED.


again, and Sharpless sat down. ''That
was a. good joke of yours, Mr.. Thorn
DYKE" he said, with an unpleasant
smile. ''Of course you know that the
original value of the land was next to
nothing"
II don't care to argue that point or
any other. The question between us is
simply this: will you pay me 100000,
Or shall give you in charge for forg-
ery?"
While Thorndyke was speaking,
Sharpless was swaying gently back and
forth in the pivot-chair, with his right
arm lying upon the desk. In the little
interval of silence that followed, tn,
fingers of the idle hand sought the knob
of a small drawer under the pigeon
holes. When he began to speak the
lawyers voice was smooth and passion
less. LET us assume, for the sake Of
example, that what you say of us is
true; that we are the INSCRIPTIONS vii
Aains that your Indictment presup-
,poses." The hand on the desk was me-
chemically opening and closing the
drawer, and Philip saw CLINT OF
nickel-plating among the papers. 'As.
Stunning this, doesn't it strike you that
sou are little rash in coming here to
threaten us?' The idling hand dropped
carelessly into the open drawer and lay
quiescent.
Philip ignored the Hypothetical
menace, and kept his eyes fixed upon
the motionless hand.
violence is always dangerous
weapon, Mr.. Sharpless," he said, quiet
ly, land you will agree with me that
when it becomes necessary to employ
it, hesitation is not to be too strongly
deprecated. I'll trouble you to close
that drawer"
In the duel of words Sharpless had
been reflectively measuring the dis
tance between himself and the coat
pocket into which Philip had slipped
his hand at the beginning of the inter-
view. The deductions were evidently
upon the side of prudence, for he shut
the drawer with O snapand turned away
from the desk.
@'Going back to the original question
your demand is unreasonable; and if
it were not, there is not such an
amount as you name in all the banks
in the city"
"Probablv not: and, in any event, I
&hould prefer your draft on New York,
secured by mortgage on all the prop
erty of the company in Chilmath
county"
ooh, you would" Sharpless was los
ing his self-control. "Perhaps you
think I own the property in fee simple.
You ought to know, if you know any
thing at all, that should have to SUBJ
init the matter to our New York Of
fcers."
Knowing that he had the sword in,
Philip could not refrain from twisting
1t a little in the wouA1. "From my
point of view, that would seem to be
the last thing you'd care to do. You
could scarcely afford to give the facts
in the case, you know, and don't see
how anything else would answer How
ever, that is all beside the mark. I know
that you have the authority to sign
papers and to transfer property"-he
looked at his watch-''my time is linn
tied, gentlemen; which is it to be, an
:amicable settlement or-let us not
mince matters-the chain gang?"
For the first time during the inter-
view Fenchgroused himself to speak.
~ Tor Gods sake, Sharplcss, don't trifle
with him; give him what he wants!'
None the less, Sharpless fought des-
perateH, contesting every inch of
ground. It would take time to draw
up the papers; he must at least be al
lowed to telegraph New York; he had
no idea that his draft would be honorel
without explanations. To all of which
Philip turned a deaf ear and pointed
inexorably to the alternative. He must
kave the draft and the security, or the
law should be allowed to take it's
course. When it finally came down to
a mere question of the time required
for the preparation OF the papers,
Philip produced q draft and mortgage
seady for signature, together with !
quitrclaim deed signed by himself as
attorney il factifor John Kilgroy.