Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1901-02-14
CHAPTER III.

WhiiC thooC hCdl anu uCaA " thShh
are we'll and happy, the pin pricks of
having to go without many things
their neighbors have are not SO keenly
felt, while to a man each is morti-
fication.
Harold Dynevor was a good son, and
a brave man; but poverty tried him
sorely, and there was constant
chatting at the injustice of circum-
stances which made his life harder
those who knew his story thought
only natural.
Harold was a gentleman farmer. He
worked quite as hard as many farm
ers who did not own the prefix; but
he was the last male representative of
a good old county family, who had
been known in Sussex for many gen.
erations. He was popular wherever he
went, his mother was devoted to him,
his pretty sister, Kitty, looked up to
him with fervent admiration; but
Harold Dynevor could not be called
happy man. He had inherited
grievance, and the recollection of 1t
marred his content.
You're tired out, Harold" said
Kitty gently. I'm sure you work as
hard as any of your own men. Sit
down in your armchair, and I'll 60
and hurry tea"
'All right, dear" he said gratefully.
1t may do me good, for I've split
ting headache"
Mrs. Dynevor waited till her daugh-
ter was out Of hearing, then she asked
anxiously:
is there anything wrong, Harold?
You were going in to Marion; did you
see Mr.. Proctor?"
Il saw him, mother, and got a re-
ceipt in full. There's bad news. I
meant to keep it from you, but can
see I've betrayed there's something
wrong, so I'd better tell you the
truth, for fear you think it worse
than 1t is"
you don't mean that the mortgage
wants to foreclose, Haroldt"
Poor lady! that was the bugbear of
her life Uplands, the land which her
son farmed, was her very own. 1t
had been her wedding portion, and the
home of her married life. When bad
seasons came, and expenses multi
piled, with her full consent her hus-
band raised mortgage on the farm.
They had thought lightly of it then
"a few good harvests would soon en-
able them to pay off the debt; but it
had never been paid off in all those
years. 1t hung like an incubus about
them, and Mrs. Dynevor's one dread
was that some day the mortgage
would foreclose, and, If they could not
lind the $4,000 due to him, they
would have to leave their beloved
home.
No, mother" said Harold quietly,
It's not SO bad as that; but you will
like the news as little as l do. 1t
seems Mr.. King has been settling his
affairs, and he has transferred the
mortgage on the Uplands to some one
else. Proctor told me the interest
was still to be paid to him, so we
shall have no personal dealings with
our new creditor"
Then I don't see that 1t matters"
said Mrs. Dynevor. "Your dear father
always said Mr.. King was very hon
est man. Do you mean that you have
heard bad account of the new mort
gagee?"
He is man we both have cause to
fear and dislike, mother Eustace Lin
don!"
Mrs. Dynevor had grown white even
to her lips-nothing could have ter
Tified her more; but she was a brave
woman, and she knew, besides, where
help and strength were to be found.
One silent prayer to heaven, and she
answered calmly:
There is only one thing for it, Har-
old-we must raise the $4,000 and pay
off the mortgage. To be at that mans
mercy is more than / can heart"
Il don't see how we're to do it,"
said Harold, gloomily. There's no
money in the bank, and we must spend
good sum on the farm this year, for
everything wants renewing. The blow
couldn't havs come at a worse time"
Il wonder what his object ISL" said
Mrs. Dynevor quickly. He has never
once been near this place since he left
it with your poor Aunt Nina just after
their wedding. Not a year after he.
death he let the Manor to General Cra-
ven for fourteen years. and, except
pocketing the money from the estate,
he has taken not the least interest in
the property since"
Proctor says he has married again,
and thinks he means to settle at the
10
year. and he has refused to renew it,"
IF he means to live here. OF course
he would want to get rid of us first"
said Mrs. Dynevor quietly, "for men
never like the near presence CT those
they have wronged."
the law, Eustace Lindon could not
have been said to have wronged the
Dynevors, yet every one for miles
around Dynevor Manor regarded him
as their despoiler.
1t was a sad little story, so well
known that every villager could have
repeated it. When Mrs. Dynevor mar
ried and settled at the Uplands. her
husband had an elder brother. Frank.
who was squire of Dene, and the
largest land owner for miles round.
Frank Dynevor was devoted to the
young couple at the Uplands. A good
deal older than his brother. Charles,
aad very studious. reserved man. he
had reached the age of 40 without
marrying. People were beginning to
look on him as a confirmed bachelor.
and to regard the little boy at the farm
as the heir of the Manor, when, be-
fore Harold was years old, his uncle
suddenly returned from a summer hol-