The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1897-02-26

= "Aye."
sDoes this farm of Kilgrow's lie Who'll
ly within the limits of the new town z.
81 Gamma say as to the preceese leem-
its; I'm thinkin' it'll TAX in ABBOTT half
the town."
81 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 NALL
"Was that fair price for the land at.
the time?" J.
INA, it wasna mair than half price
Thorndyke made note OF TINS.
'That's our starting point. You knew
Gates: what kind of man was he?
Would he be likely to sell anything at
half price of his own accord?
INA, that he wouldna; he was canny
chieI, an over fond O. the main chance"
"Then there was probably some pres
sure brought to bear upon him. Now
what do you know about the town COM
pany people? Who made the deal with
Cates?"
"a lawyer by the name of Sharpless,
an the agent, Master Jenkins Fench."
"Oho!" said Philip, recalling his mar
tyrdom on the train. 'That fellow was
N it, was he? He's rascal, if ever there
was one out of Jail. If his face doesn't
belle him he's equal to anything in the
way of fraud. How about his part
ner?'
"The lawyer? I'm thinlSin' he's deal
waur than t'other."
"It isn't very likely that they bought
he land without knowing all about the
Jaw in the title, unless there's been
more crookedness than we know about.
Is Kilgrow sure that he. never signed
any papers for Gates or anyone else?"
"He's vera willin' to talk his oath
upo' that; an it's the mair unlikely,
sim he Gamma read or write"
"And you say Gates got his money
and then disappeared?
"Aye."
"That adds little to the suspicious
look of the thing; but, then, it's free
country; suppose O. man may go or
stay, as he pleases."
Thorndyke locked his fingers behind
his head and sat back with half-closed
eyes while he went over the facts again,
weighing each point in turn. Duncan
misunderstood his silence and grew I'M
easy.
'I'm thinkin' ye'll be countin' the cost
O. the leetigation, Mr.. Thorndyke; I'm
no that weel able"
make yourself easy on that point.
Mr.. Duncan" interrupted Philip; 81
wasn't thinking Of demanding a re-
tainer. Well try to make the other side
do the paying when the time comes. In
the meanwhile, if I take hold of the
case it'll be merely out of friendship
to you and because 7 need something tC
do. What was thinking of. just now
was the chance of our being able to
prove collision between the town COM
pany and Gates. If we can't do that we
may have our labor for our pains"
"Aye?"
eyes. Gates is we'll out of the coun-
try, and, anyway, I suppose he has moth
ing. No, we've got to recover from the
town company, and.in order to do that
we must be prepared to prove that its
agent knew of the fraud when he
bought the land. Then it would be
nlain case in equity, and no chancellor
wouid hesitate about issuing writ Of
ncserS- on
"yTcu.d Eeelgrow haze to show him
sell III court?"
''Not necessarily. The evidence in
chancery cases is taken by deposition,
md there is no formal trial as in COM
mon law procedures; the chancellor ex-
mines the evidence and hands down a
1ecree in accordance with the facts"
That's ane thing in our favor, then;
keclgrow is that fearsome o. courts an
constables that I'm thinkin' we'd hae
nucl1le trouble persuadin' him to tes-
tify."
Thorndyke laughed. 81 suppose he
hasn't got over the apple brandy scare
rhat'll never be revived, and if it were
we could easily clear him.
Duncan shook his head doubtfully
II Wilma be so sure o that It's ma mair
than a month sim got word that the
revenue men were speerin' round after
auld Johnnie again.
Thorndyke came out of his nonchal-
ance with bound.
"You did! Who told you that?'
II had bit writing frae some mer-
cifu' body in the town."
"Mr. Duncan, that's the most i'm
portant thing you've told me yet! Find
me that letter, if you can"
Philip walked the floor excitedlv un-
til Duncan came back with the missive
in question. 1t was written in type
writing on blank letterhead, and it
was dated at Allacoochee.
Dear Sir: It is known that YOU are
friendly toward an old mountaineer named
t-ilgrow, who is wanted by the United
States officers for breach Of the revenue
laws 1t is rumored here that the officer.
ave information OF his whereabouts, az,
hat If found he will be arrested and
brought to trial. 1t would seem, to one who
knows the circumstances to be merely an
act OF common humanity to warn the Ga
man. A FRIEND
What do yc make out O that, Mr..
Thorndyke?' asked Duncan, after
Philip had read and examined the let
ter.
Just what expected when you men
toned it. There's only one man or one
set OF men who could be benefited by
getting kilgrow out of the way. When
we trace this letter to it's source we'll
find that either Sharpless or Fench die.
tated it. It's the most importanAbit of
evidence I've had, so far, because if I'm