Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1901-10-16
Briarsnere.

- sME BARTON, as she rode along
JEa on her trusty little cob, paid no

"a SME BARTON, as she rode along
JSo on her trusty little cob, paid no
heed to the weather, SO absorbed
was she in her own thoughts.
Ralph Underwood was coming that
night to ask her to be his wife, she felt
sure. for his manner Mt the Fletchers
dance had been unmistakable.
What answer should she give him?
Gould she ever love u man she did not
Altogether trust?
All, II only Jack could speak she
knew what answer she would give if
he ever asked the same question, bbut
Jack never would, now, though years
ago he had shown In n hundred little
ways that he loved her.
But that was before his father died,
and Briarsmere was found to be mort
gagged and all the affairs terribly in
volved. So now Jack was poor man,
and had even undertaken work as I'm
derwood's agent to pay off the mort
gage, which Ralph held.
Esme was rich, and could do us she
liked with the fortune she had inner
tied from her mother, but was power
less to help Jack because of that un-
written law that "a man is to WOO, a
woman to be wooed."
The rain poured down and at last
going on around her.
The rain was coming down In tor
rents, and an ominous roll of thunder
in the distance made Beauty tremble.
1t was lonely part of the road; only
a little cabin, much out of repair, was
in sight. She hastened toward 1t, not
knowing If Mrs. O'Grady still occupied
the place, or whether she had already
gone to live with her sister in Kerry.
On trying to lift the latch, Esme
found 1t was locked, but discovered u
shelter in the peat shed at the back.
AS she stood there caressing her
horse to allay its fears, she was STAR
tied to hear key fitted into the lock
OF the door in front of the house.
The boards of the Undiscovered walls
were ill-fitted and rotten, and Bsme
could distinctly hear two men talking
as they entered and shook the water
from their clothes.
"a good thing we are here SO near
the place." said Underwood.
YES" answered voice which made
Esme blush in the semi-darkness, at
is bad storm. but 1t will soon be over.
am not sorry 1t has come now, us you
will see that something must be done
to the place before another tenant oc-
cupies 1t. 1t isn't fit for dog to live In"
II shall do nothing; It's no use spend
Ing money on property of this kind.
These peasants are used to plugging it.
Leave the place alone"
"That is, Of course, your affair, Mr..
Underwood" said Jack. in my posi-
ton MS agent 1t was my duty to point
out to you what was needed, but can
not make you do 1t. Only tell you as
man to man, that the neglect of your
tenants interests is disgrace to the
neighborhood. have worked as your
agent In order to work off the mortgage
which you hold on my property, but
suppose the foreclosure which you
threaten must come, for cannot work
for you any longer and have not money
to redeem the estate"
"And, pray, why am to lose your
valuable services" said Underwood.
"You know that during my manage
Inent your profits have nearly doubled,
but when 1t comes to distilling liquors
in underground distilleries and expect
ing me to be party to the fraud,
draw the line"
How dare you speak like this to
me!' said Underwood, choking with
rage. You pauper, If had not en-
ployed you. you would have starved"
you are exaggerating my poverty"
said Jack, in calm tone. ut is true,
by honest work hoped to regain my
property, but when you expect dishon-
est work, you have come to the wrong
man."
"By the way" continued Jack, and
Fsme could hardly catch his words, tor